We are living in the age of the ‘Smartphone,’ and that’s not hyperbole. 8 out of 10 CEOs today consider mobile technology to be ‘strategically important’ for their business operations. Nearly 90% of them have considered mobile apps to be the key to operational success. By nature, the manufacturing industry is extremely chaotic as there are dozens of machines installed at a manufacturing plant with an entire team of quality control inspectors and technicians. When thousands of items are rolling off the assembly line and so many different aspects to control, there is a need for higher degrees of precision at the manufacturing plant. Technology is the best way to achieve that precision today. In an industry like manufacturing, everything must be updated in real-time to ensure a smoother flow of business operations. Those challenges are being met through mobile app solutions, but not every manufacturing company is on board with adopting new technology. Most challenges that are commonly faced by manufacturing companies are mainly down to lack of technology on their plant, and we are going to underline the major challenges these companies are facing and how mobile apps can address them.

Problems Faced by Manufacturing Companies

1.      Delay in Manual Data Updates

Most manufacturing plants manually collect and record data on part details, production, and inventory management, etc. The manual process of data collection and recording isn’t just cumbersome but involves a lot of time. Therefore, it’s not a surprise to learn that the process is prone to human error, and all that combined translates into lower productivity. This process for manual data updates can be automated easily through mobile apps, where these apps will not only combine smart data collection techniques like RFID, Bar Code Scanning, and integrations with other devices that enhance the process greatly. Apart from that, less human intervention and the chances of errors are reduced significantly as well. By using such apps manufacturing companies can not only update their data in real-time but can also track it through the simple click of a button, all of which results in higher business productivity.

2.      Compliance Management

Manufacturing companies generally employ a large number of employees, and their facilities are not only spread widely across multiple locations but involve multiple processes and people. That presents a great challenge to manufacturers, but when you add in the multitude of regulations that must be followed and understood, it becomes impossible to negotiate. Most of these challenges relate to global employee behavior, best business practices in a dynamic environment, how to do business in international markets, and safety at the workplace. To meet these challenges, most manufacturing companies still rely on manual or legacy IT systems that don’t make it easier to manage compliance. However, with competent mobile apps manufacturing companies can now confidently navigate through regulatory changes without missing a beat. They can also manage risk judiciously and exploit any competitive advantage of compliance they may have missed out on.

3.      Poor Inventory Control and Tracking

One of the main reasons why a lot of manufacturing companies tend to fail is because of poor inventory management. Manufacturing setups that aren’t technologically advanced tend to use excel spreadsheets for tracking their inventory, and it’s generally the first tool for all small to medium businesses for managing their inventory. However, with the growth of the business, it can result in several problems as managing inventory and tracking it on excel spreadsheets is far from ideal. Manual inventory tracking is not only error-prone but also a time-consuming process and can result in costly delays and loss of venue if your business is large. With a manual process, your business is always going to find itself one step behind your inventory levels, which will result in ordering issues. Poor inventory management can lead to several problems like overstocking, high lead times, stock shortages, and over or under buying raw materials. All of that has a direct impact on customer satisfaction levels and can lead to unpredictable cost burdens on the company. Thankfully, mobile solutions make a big difference here as they help track inventory in real-time and also transfer this data to mobile and desktop users immediately. That not only helps in better inventory management but also helps in faster stock replenishments.

4.      Lack of Coordination between Internal Departments

As an organization grows in size, there is a severe lack of coordination between internal departments that could negatively impact the productivity of a business. Without necessary coordination, these business processes will not only get more complicated, but they will also face a delay in completing their main tasks. To coordinate the activities and efforts of their entire organization, the manufacturer requires the integration of a systematic process that will help create accountability in the company. However, that will only be possible through the help of a mobile app. That will only happen when you combine mobile app solutions with proper data recording techniques that not only automate business processes but also ensure inter-department coordination throughout the organization.

The Advantages of Mobile Transformation

If you own a manufacturing business and are sitting on the fence on whether you should invest in a mobile app for your business, here are some of the advantages you stand to gain:

• Access to data anytime, anywhere, and without system dependence
• Better resource management
• Improved customer service
• Product innovation and tracking
• Business processes and operational improvement
• Higher productivity

When you start developing your custom mobile app for your business, you should think about the following points:

• What problems will the mobile app address?
• What are the functions you want the app to perform?
• If there are existing systems with which the app must interact?

When you have the answers to the above questions, you will have a mobile app that fulfills your needs transforms your manufacturing company. You will not only gain a valuable tool to collect data, but manage your inventory, and offer seamless communication channels to different departments and connect with customers more effectively. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and invest in a smart mobile app solution for your manufacturing company today!

Contact Us

Percento is a Professional IT Consulting, Implementation and Management firm.  To find out how we can help your organization, please contact one of our friendly sales representatives for a review of your system and a comprehensive (No Obligation) proposal of services. Call today toll-free at 800.614-7886 [Austin | Dallas | Houston | League City | Sugar Land | The Woodlands  | San Antonio] or email us at sales@percentotech.com.