2012 North American Mobile Enterprise Applications

• Publication date: August 2012
• Report size: 61 pages

This research study covers mobile enterprises applications, such as mobile asset tracking, mobile sales force automation, mobile workforce management, and wireless email solutions in North America. A Web-based survey methodology was used. The sample consisted of 300 decision makers working in enterprises who are responsible for purchase of mobile software applications. The mobile enterprise applications market is growing. In the next 12 months, a...

This research study covers mobile enterprises applications, such as mobile asset tracking, mobile sales force automation, mobile workforce management, and wireless email solutions in North America. A Web-based survey methodology was used. The sample consisted of 300 decision makers working in enterprises who are responsible for purchase of mobile software applications. The mobile enterprise applications market is growing. In the next 12 months, a significant share of businesses plan to introduce one or more new mobile software solutions on their employees’ mobile handhelds. Across all application categories, current users are very satisfied and represent a significant incremental sales opportunity.

Executive Summary and Implications

The mobile enterprise applications market is on a growth trajectory, with at least percent of 2012 business respondents planning to introduce one or more new mobile software solutions to their employees’ mobile handhelds during the next 12 months.

Increased familiarity with specific mobile solutions can act as a blessing or a curse. The mature wireless push email solution continues to be widely viewed as necessary to helping meet business goals. However, while an increasing percentage of businesses view mobile workforce management and mobile sales force automation categories as necessary, the intensity of this attraction has softened over time.

Across all application categories, current users are very satisfied and represent a significant incremental sales opportunity, with half or more of these businesses planning to expand their deployments during the next 12 months. This continuing high level of customer satisfaction can be attributed to a very clear return on investment (e.g., increased employee productivity, reduced paperwork, and a faster sales process).

For those businesses that are planning to introduce one or more of the applications for the first time during the next three years, the strongest barrier to deploying the solution immediately is cost. Vendors and channels are encouraged to continue promoting the benefits of the hosted pricing model (where available) and to focus on minimizing hardware and customization expenses.

The level of completely disinterested businesses ranges from xx percent (wireless email) to xx percent (fleet tracking). It is unclear whether this negative response represents a true level of businesses’ needs, a general lack of awareness, or poor marketing and product design on the part of vendors.

When evaluating potential mobility partners, businesses focus first on the costs involved, the partner’s professional services capabilities, and the level of post-sale service and support that is provided.

Continued preference for wireless carriers as mobility partners is most likely grounded in the carriers’ high-touch relationship with the vast embedded customer base along with their willingness to vet a still-fragmented set of vendor alternatives and provide a broad one-stop-shop set of offerings and price points. This preference for carriers is strongest with smaller businesses and is being reinforced with the SMB-targeted programs carriers have been rolling out during the past months.

Larger businesses rank the corporate software vendor (CSV) first and the carrier second when discussing mobility partner preferences. This should act as a strong warning to wireless carriers and their large enterprise sales staffs.

Simple out-of-box deployments are enjoyed by xx percent to xx percent of current users. The majority of deployments require some level of customization and/or integration, and businesses are most likely able to handle these requirements in-house, rather than employ a third party.

Smartphones are by far the most popular device utilized across all mobile solutions surveyed. Mobile SFA users are also exhibiting the strongest migration to the tablet form factor. Application vendors should expend development resources on these two device categories, rather than on basic cell phones.

Overall brand preferences tilt strongly toward the wireless carriers (the channel) rather than to specific application vendors. AT&T is favored in the mobile SFA, mobile workforce management, and mobile asset tracking categories. RIM predominates in wireless email, and Salesforce.com joins AT&T in the most-favored tier of mobile SFA brands.

Wireless Technology Industry in the United States

Research Objectives, Methods, and Firmographics
Executive Summary and Implications
Market Overview and Definitions
Overview of Mobile Solutions
Barriers to Future Adoption Among Non-Users
Mobile Enterprise Applications: Details
The Mobile Devices Utilized With Mobile Enterprise Applications
Current Brand Perceptions In The Mobile Enterprise Application Market
The Frost & Sullivan Story

Wireless Technology in United States

United States Number Of 3g & 4g Phone Subscribers (`000)

• $ 250
• Industry data
• February 2013

Yearly, From 2006 To 2017
By Business Monitor International
Source: BMI Research

• Industries : Wireless Technology
• Countries : United States

United States Wireless Voice And Wireless Data Revenue, Usdmn

• $ 250
• Industry data
• February 2013

Yearly, From 2005 To 2011
By Business Monitor International
Source: BMI, operator results

• Industries : Wireless Technology
• Countries : United States

United States Wireless Service And Wireless Equipment Revenues, Us$mn

• $ 250
• Industry data
• February 2013

Yearly, From 2005 To 2011
By Business Monitor International
Source: BMI, operator results

• Industries : Wireless Technology
• Countries : United States

United States Number Of 3g & 4g Phone Subscribers, % Change Y-o-y

• $ 250
• Industry data
• February 2013

Yearly, From 2007 To 2017
By Business Monitor International
Source: BMI Research

• Industries : Wireless Technology
• Countries : United States

United States Number Of Cellular Mobile Phone Subscribers, % Change Y-o-y

• $ 250
• Industry data
• February 2013

Yearly, From 2004 To 2017
By Business Monitor International
Source: Operators, CTIA, FCC, BMI Research

• Industries : Mobile Telephony, Wireless Technology
• Countries : United States