CPO Rising is excited to publish an interesting series of articles focused on the evolution of technology solutions and automated platforms within the greater spend management spectrum. In each article, we’ll dive into the “then” aspect of a particular solution and explain how it benefitted enterprises years ago, and the “now”: an introspective look at how a solution has evolved to not only continue driving value to their users, but also the expansion of key capabilities and functionalities. On deck today: mobile applications and portals.
Mobility represents an opportunity for enterprises to push the power of traditional enterprise technology directly into the hands of its executives and employees for convenience and accessibility. Once considered more of a consumer-based option than a platform regarded for business-to-business productivity, mobile applications have risen over the years as a viable tool in the greater arsenal of procurement, finance, HR, and other key functions within the contemporary enterprise.
Then:
Mobile applications, while penetrating nearly every business process in today’s corporate world, did provide value as far back as a half-decade ago (or longer). Many executives have been relying on mobile applications and portals for some specific business processes, such as travel-booking and expense management. And, of course, mobile email has been a staple of communication for nearly all employees of companies that requires consistent touch-points with their managers or directors. However, as far as “deeper,” more complex business processes, there was very low adoption of mobile applications and portals for aspects such as Big Data / reporting and analytics, contingent workforce management and financial operations.
Now:
Nearly every major business function has a corresponding mobile-enhanced extension, helping to harness the power of greater corporate technology and pivot it into the hands of executives and key stakeholders for maximum productivity. Procurement professionals are typically armed with the same eProcurement and strategic sourcing tools that they have in their offices / headquarters while on the road, helping them maintain their output even during business trips or personal time off. In the same vein, many providers of spend management / financial management technology allow their solutions to be accessed (similar to cloud-based capabilities) via smartphones and tablet devices, offering attributes such as deep-dive reporting and analytics, visibility into enterprise spending and finances, and real-time access to intelligence related to corporate budgets.
In the world of contingent workforce management, users can find and engage talent, while also developing and approving requisitions. Even the world of travel and expense management has evolved as a result of its mobility, helping business travelers and executives alike generate touchless expense reports and book or alter travel-related reservations (air and ground transportation, etc.). Mobile applications are also a critical component of the growing notion of “engagement management,” in which social networks and social media play vital roles in how enterprises improve the event attendee experience.
RELATED ARTICLES
Then and Now: A Technology Evolution Series, Part III: Event Management
Then and Now: A Technology Evolution Series, Part II: Vendor Management Systems
Then and Now: A Technology Evolution Series, Part I: Travel and Expense Management
