As mobile use continues to grow, small businesses are still struggling to determine if they should implement their own mobile apps to interact with customers and perform operations. While many businesses have taken steps toward mobile adoption through cloud hosting, apps still seem like a big commitment.

A new study reveals that the investment may be well worth it, even for smaller organizations. In a survey of 688 technology professionals, InformationWeek found that custom mobile app development is on the rise in business, with 41 percent of businesses stating they’d created custom mobile apps for their companies.

Increased Productivity

Consumers may use apps for playing games and watching movies, but in the business environment, apps are for improving operations. Whether through existing apps like Salesforce and GoPayment or through apps created specifically for an organization, mobile apps can make it easier for employees to communicate, work on projects, and track spending, among many other functions.

In many cases, SMBs will likely choose to use an existing application to meet their needs. However, when it becomes necessary to create an app to interact with customers or make their lives easier, custom app development may become necessary. Instead of paying a development team top dollar to create an app from scratch, many businesses are turning to app creation tools like Appery.io and TheAppBuilder to create an app easily and affordably.

Apps have freed businesses up to reduce paperwork and manual entry, saving time that can be put toward more important issues. When an app can keep a workforce in touch and save valuable steps, it adds value to an organization. It’s important that a business weigh its many options before setting on an app solution that meets its own needs, only adding apps that will increase productivity rather than distract workers from their daily duties.