Enterprise App Development Guide: Powerful Benefits, Types, Features and Costs

Every business aims to deliver the best possible customer experience. But achieving an optimum level of customer experience does require optimisation of business operations inside the organization. As a business, you can achieve this with enterprise app development.

So what is enterprise app development? In this guide, we will give you a clear idea of enterprise app development, covering the advantages, essential features, and key practices for the successful building of an enterprise app. Let us start!

What Exactly is Enterprise App Development for a Business?

Since every business aims to boost efficiency in their operations, leading to the best customer experience, they want an easy-to-use software system that lets them manage their internal and external operations smoothly. That is where enterprise app development for a business comes into play.

Enterprise apps are custom-made apps specifically tailored for a business’ unique needs. With such applications, organizations can handle important functions like content management, HR management, customer relationship management, and whatnot. And, when a business opts for digital ways to enhance their operations, they go for enterprise app development by either hiring an in-house team or outsource your project to an app development agency.

How are Enterprise Apps Different From Regular Customer Apps?

Regular customer apps and enterprise apps are not the same!

If you get confused with the statement, here is the key basis for the difference between regular apps and enterprise apps.

The Aim Behind Usage

Enterprise apps are built to handle complex processes for a business, with a huge room for diverse integrations targeting scalability. Whereas regular customer apps are designed to solve a problem directly for the customers. For example, building a food delivery application to meet the demands of customers is a regular app, whereas streamlining the food delivery app process through an enterprise app like Salesforce is an enterprise application.

Scope of Integration

Enterprise apps have a lot of room for integration. Not only when you are building the application, but also in the future when your organization scales. In a nutshell, enterprise apps have multiple microservices under the hood. Whereas regular apps have only a few microservices inside an app.

Target Audience Difference

The aim of enterprise apps is to achieve efficiency in business operations. Whereas regular customer-based applications have a specific audience that is outside of the organization.

Communication and Collaboration

With enterprise, you target a very wide range of communication and collaboration. You might want to build an enterprise app for your employees with diverse departments ranging from marketing to HR and sales. Whereas regular customer apps generally have three targets for communication and collaboration, i.e., admin, clients, and end customers.

There is a concept of Micro Apps which is quite similar to enterprise apps. And, it is also possible that you might want to choose one between the two.

So here is our blog on Enterprise Apps vs MicroApps helping you answer Which is Right for Your Business?

What are The Benefits of Enterprise App Development?

Before building an enterprise application, there must be a question in your mind: “What are the gains to my business with enterprise app development?” This section deals with the enterprise application development benefits in detail.

• Increased Efficiency: Enterprise applications target automation of tasks and simplify overall operations saving time and efforts for business. With all that comes a great level of efficiency for business.
• Cost Savings: Being a business, when the operations in your business eliminate the risk of manual errors and organized reporting, you will ultimately reduce costs incurred due to sudden, manually- performed operations.
• Optimized Resources: With an enterprise app, your staff can focus on what is important instead of just reporting and organizing emails.
• Data-driven Decision-Making: real-time data access can be achieved through an enterprise app, which will further lead to data-driven decision-making in your business. Your business will stay ahead of the trends.
• Mobility and Remote Access: Whether your employees are on a smartphone, tablet, or web, they can access your enterprise app and stay connected with all the communication and collaboration tasks.
• Higher Employee Engagement: Imagine a place where employees can present their opinions and issues and make announcements. A custom-tailored CRM will allow better employee engagement in your organization.
• Improved Data Sharing and Management: Whatever tasks are performed, your enterprise app will organize them for you and share them with the respective authorities flawlessly, fostering innovation and creativity in your organization.

What are the Platform Choices for Enterprise Apps?

You can build an app for your enterprise targeting multiple platforms. It can be a mobile based app, a desktop based app or a cloud app. However, when considering platform choices for enterprise apps, make sure to evaluate the needs of your business.

Here’s a brief overview of the different platforms:

Web Apps

• Accessible through web browsers.
• Platform-independent, can be used on any device with a browser.
• Easier to maintain and update without user intervention.

Mobile Apps

• Designed specifically for mobile devices.
• Can leverage device-specific hardware and software.
• Offer better performance and a more tailored user experience.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

• Delivered over the internet.
• Providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications.
• Scalable and accessible from anywhere.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

• Provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications.
• Eliminates the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure from building an app to launching it.

In case you determine that you want to go with a mobile app for your enterprise

You might question about picking from Native, Hybrid, Web

Read our blog on Native, Hybrid or Web to get the answer

What are the Types of Enterprise App For Your Business?

It is for sure that Enterprise applications are essential for streamlining business processes, enhancing efficiency, and improving overall performance. But, what are the enterprise application types? Let’s explore them:

Operational Apps

• Handle daily business functions, including CRM, HR systems, and decision support systems.
• Provide insights through data analysis and visual representation.

Organization-Based Apps

• Comprehensive applications that cover the entire organization.
• Examples include ERP, which integrates planning, cost control, marketing, inventory management, and sales.

Department-Based Apps

• Tailored for specific departments:
• Sales apps: Streamline sales processes.
• Finance apps: Handle financial transactions.
• HR apps: Manage employee performance.
• Marketing apps: Assist with campaigns.

Employee-Based Apps

• Impact employees’ work efficiency:
• Collaboration tools: Facilitate communication.
• Performance management apps: Monitor goals.

Specific Enterprise Systems

• ERP: Seamlessly coordinates all business processes.
• CRM: Manages client interactions.
• BI: Analyzes data for better decision-making.
• HR management: Maximizes efficiency.
• Supply chain management: Tracks product life stages.
• Content management systems: Modify digital content on websites.

What Essential Features Must Your Enterprise App Have?

Ok, now a key question arises about what to include essentially in your enterprise app. Although it can be vast, here are the essential ones that you should make sure to have in your business.

• Ensure you keep your enterprise app scalable without any compromise on the security or performance of the application. A feature-rich app is good, but be very clear and specific about what you need.
• Make sure that your enterprise app is able to streamline data from various sources. For example, you might want to analyze the data from multiple departments.
• Make sure the interface of your enterprise app is user-friendly. Try to achieve uniformity in your complete application that speaks to your brand image.
• Security is another major element that you should focus on. You can learn about the possible security measures that can secure your enterprise app in detail.
• Update your legacy system (old systems) because modern digital services might not support your old enterprise app.
• Let your application have flexible API integration with third-party tools. These third-party tools can be in the form of adding leads in marketing or delivery notifications in employee ticket support.

Feature Set Example for your Enterprise App

• User roles (accesses)
• Real time analytics
• Data sharing
• Cloud storage
• Third-party integrations
• Push Notifications
• Instant messaging
• Offline mode (cache files for uninterrupted work)

What are the Steps Involved in Enterprise App Development?

If you have plans for enterprise app development, let us guide you through the brief steps involved in enterprise app development.

Problem Research

• Know what problems you are facing in your organization to define your enterprise’s app objectives.
• Define clear enterprise goals such as streamlining processes, enhancing customer engagement, or improving productivity.

Target Audience Planning

• Identify your enterprise app users and their pain points within the organization.
• Plan the features and functionalities of your app according to them.

Platform Selection

• Evaluate what platform you want to choose and keep the scalability factor in mind.
• Choose platforms that offer robust enterprise features like storage, authentication, and compliance.
• Prefer hiring dedicated developers for the platform you choose.

Wireframing Your Enterprise App Development

• Make a rough wireframe that reflects enterprise workflows, data structures, and user roles.
• You can also design the user interface if you have the feel and look of your app in mind.
• Align stakeholders and end users for feedback.

Design, Development, and Testing

• Hire an app development partner on the basis of their portfolio, client reviews, and expertise.
• Convey your idea and wireframe clearly to the business analyst team.
• Learn about the tech stacks that an organization works on. For example, if your company wants to build its digital solution using hire flutter app developers, then you should know that it is a cross-platform tech stack.
• Ensure that your application flawlessly integrates with your existing CRM or ERP resources.
• You can read what you should know while your app is in the development phase on our blog.
• Although your development team will test your product, make sure that you also test it from the perspective of the users.

App Launch and Maintenance

• Plan a rollout strategy and gradually expand your user base.
• Make sure that your app remains updated and error-free.
• Continuously gather feedback from enterprise users and stakeholders.

Key Challenges When Developing Enterprise Apps

Enterprise App development sure is a complex task and comes with various challenges. Here are the three key challenges.

Challenging Business Requirements

Making enterprise apps is complex because businesses often have complex requirements that keep on changing. Building solutions that can adapt and be customized easily is tough work, needing careful planning to get it right.

Ensuring Return on Investment (ROI)

When making enterprise apps, it’s crucial to make sure to get the best ROI. This means not only finishing the project on time and within budget but also making sure the apps work efficiently to bring in value fast.

Employee Engagement

Enterprise apps should not only solve business problems but also make employees’ work easier. Involving employees in the app development process ensures that the final product fits their needs and preferences, making it more likely they’ll use it effectively.

Avoid The Challenges involved in Enterprise App Development by building MVP

Read our detailed guide: Building Minimum Viable Product– An Ultimate Key To Turn Your Idea Into Reality

What are the Strategies to Maximize ROI in Enterprise App Development?

Let’s talk about the Return on Investment part in this section for your enterprise app development. These are also the things that you should consider while planning to build an app for your enterprise.

1. Selecting Suitable Platforms and Technologies: While opting for Enterprise App Development target your suitable platform and Technologies. It can be Web base, Android, iOS or cross platform app development.
2. Maintain Security Standards: Throughout your enterprise application, considering the future too, ensure that your application always stays ahead in terms of security.
3. Be Clear on Timelines: Your budget is a crucial part of your enterprise app idea. Consult with top digital transformation companies and get the right cost estimates.
4. Picking up the Right Partner: Go through the portfolio, client reviews and products of the shortlisted top app development companies.
5. Maintain Ongoing Support: For 24×7, your application should remain stable without any downtime or random crushes.

What is the Development Process Cost for an Enterprise App?

The breakdown of the costs comes down to multiple factors. For example, the choice of platform, whether it is Android, iOS, web, cross-platform, or hire full stack developers, it does affect your budget. Further, the app category, whether it is a full-fledged enterprise app or a department-wise microapp, also has an impact on the cost-effectiveness of enterprise app development. Finally, the app features, the location of your development partner, and the UI/UX design level alter your final cost.

Getting The Right Value with RipenApps for your Enterprise App Development

At RipenApps Technologies, we’re dedicated to ensuring that every enterprise app development project brings exponential value to our clients. With our expertise and commitment to excellence, we strive to deliver solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations, driving business growth and success. With years of experience, we have a proven track record of mobile app development and web app development that lets you streamline your enterprise operations.

We believe in transparency every step of the way. Our pricing is transparent, and we provide detailed estimates to ensure clarity and confidence in our services. Additionally, our post-launch support ensures that your enterprise app continues to operate smoothly even after deployment, giving you peace of mind and uninterrupted business operations.