Why Mobile CRM Apps Are Slow to Take Off

SOURCE: CIO

Everybody knows mobile computing is on the rise. Why, then, have the smartphone versions of CRM apps been such slow sellers? Here are some important lessons to learn about all enterprise apps, cloud or otherwise.

CIO — The last five years have seen a revolution in mobile computing. The old-guard mobile phones and PC tablets have been put on the junk-heap, while devices running iOS and the Android OS have taken over the mobile world. With 4G, dual-core processors, huge amounts of RAM and gorgeous screens, you’d think that these devices would be perfect for running CRM apps. But that wave hasn’t really happened yet.

The Six Killer Reasons Why and What to Learn from Them

1. Demographic mismatch. Yep, those squirrely users are just so darned confusing. So let’s look at them in more detail. The iOS/Android crowd tends to be younger and more urban than computer users in general. While it’s true that CRM devotees tend to be 40 or younger, you have to think about the specific users who would really need mobile CRM. They tend to be managers and road warriors, and they don’t want to have to wear their reading glasses all the time. So tiny text and virtual keypads can be an unpleasant user I/O experience for them. While users of all ages are fairly happy with the “read only” versions of mobile CRM apps, upper management finds the utility and attractiveness of the fully operational app versions to be limited by the smartphones themselves.

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