The 9 Industrial Apps Your Business Should Be Using

September 9, 2019 BusinessTrumpet

80% of B2B buyers are already using mobile technology and mobile applications at work, representing a 70% increase since 2016, according to research by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). These figures will likely continue to grow, with an anticipated 70% of all search queries in B2B to be conducted on mobile by 2020.

According to PwC’s 18th Annual Global CEO Survey (2015), 81% of CEOs saw mobile technology as being strategically important for their business, while assessing how to turn their digital technologies into a competitive advantage. Although the 2019 Survey has reported challenges with turning data into a valuable commodity, it’s clear that mobile technologies still play a key role for the majority of organizations.

Tablets and smartphones are being used for virtually everything, from ordering a pizza to collecting data and real-time information through the use of inventory barcode scanning. Apps provide more rapid and efficient communication, a high level of coordination throughout the supply chain, and data for better decision-making across decentralized sites and production lines.

If you aren’t using this technology, you’re lagging behind your competitors. 70% of manufacturers consider mobile applications a key factor in reducing operational downtime with 80% looking to increase their use of this technology in the coming year, says Infosys.

The Top 9 Best-reviewed Industrial Apps

The key issue for many organizations and executives is deciding in which apps they should be investing their time and resources to get the best return. Though this will differ greatly from one organization to the next, below is a list of the 10 best-reviewed and most commonly used apps to get you started:

Siemens – Manufacturing 360 – Allows access to video demonstrations, success stories, and tips from experts in the area of assembly and part manufacturing. The app aims to keep organizations up to date with emerging technologies.

AppSheet – Equipment Inspection – Users can create fully customized interfaces on the platform to help automate processes, record inspections, flag items, and assign tasks based on users’ own data.

Intuit Quickbooks – MRPeasy – Enables product planning for manufacturers and allows users to create manufacturing orders, schedule projects, and assign tasks within a production schedule. The app then uses the information to highlight areas for potential efficiency gains.

ManageTeamz – Delivery Tracking – Primarily used for order tracking, this app can also aid in tracking employees, orders, and expected timelines. The app includes a dashboard view to illustrate all active sites and active/complete orders.

Manufacturing MRP – A winner for efficient and effective time management, the app can notify employees of events, plans, and changes in scheduling. MRP also tracks changes in quality and supply in real-time so that it can optimize workstreams and processes.

GoCanvas 5S Audit Form and 5S Lean Manufacturing Checklist – Provides a step-by-step walk-through of the 5S organizing methodology, assisting in carrying out audits on the workplace.

Tulip – Another development platform allowing organizations to create specific versions of apps including quality assessment, 5S audits, root cause analysis, and visual management.

Halo – Allows accurate measurement of supply chain performance and informs decision-making and visibility in operations.

Pocket Analytics – This app provides real-time analytics on organizational performance. Users can customize displays and interfaces to view data and help to ensure high levels of productivity.