Why the future of digital asset management is mobile

Going mobile

The pace of change has been accelerating dramatically since Apple launched the iPhone a decade ago. KPCB research reports that laptop usage has now plummeted by 90 per cent in favor of mobile devices. And Gartner reckons that, while employees in today’s digital workplace currently use an average of three different devices in their daily routine, this will increase to five or six devices as technologies such as wearable devices and the Internet of Things take up the running.

It’s certainly no accident that the ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) model is trending strongly in IT consumerisation all over the world. A multi-market survey by Ovum reveals that 79 per cent of employees in high growth markets believe constant connectivity with work applications enables them to do their jobs better (53.5 per cent in mature markets).

Thus, business is recognising this changing behavior as a growing opportunity to transition the way we operate by prioritizing mobile devices in our professional lives. Though enterprise mobility is still at an early stage of maturity in the business world, interest is accelerating and mobility is being elevated to strategic level.

Planet of the apps

So what’s facilitating this transition? The power of native apps. With more than 1.6 million apps on Android and another 1.5 million on iTunes store, we already have pretty much every tool we might need for work and home life.

In the specific context of digital asset management, mobility presents the opportunity to centralize the point of engagement with clients and employees. It enables sales and marketing staff to access the materials they need to perform their job well anytime, anywhere – leading to a reduction in time to market and an increase in conversion rates.

Most advanced DAM systems are now optimized for mobile deployment, but the native app remains at the center of DAM mobility because it provides a seamless user experience both online and offline compared to mobile web browsers. The app will also deliver push notifications that are timely and relevant so that users will always be informed when there is new material ready to be used.

Moreover, while mobile web is not designed to store complex data sets, the native app is connected directly to the local file system with interactive features created for users who need quick access while out of office. Because the native app is designed to be compatible with the device’s hardware and native features, it delivers a faster, more efficient result in tandem with the portable device.

Out in the field

So it’s easy to see why this is a must-have for employees who don’t work at an office desk and need a mobile marketing portal that enables seamless access to materials even with low-quality internet connection.

Consider, for example, how a field sales presentation could be undermined if the sales person can’t instantly call up the compelling marketing materials because of slow internet connection. With mobile DAM, that‘s never going to be a problem. It follows that this same certainty will ensure franchisees get instant access to digital assets they need at any time, as well as reducing the number of requests to company HQ for accurate assets.

Of course this employee empowerment starts with senior management understanding clearly how staff work, their environment, the problems they face – and then how to give them the quality tools they need.

For many businesses, enterprise DAM mobility is no longer optional; for any organization with a significant proportion of workforce in the field it should certainly be right at the top of the agenda.

And the bottom line is this: while, in the immediate term, mobile DAM offers greatly enhanced efficiency in the creation, management and dissemination of vital sales and marketing assets, in the longer term it lays the groundwork for a future in which every worker, whether they sit at a desk or not, will be digitally enabled.

Minh Hoang is marketing manager at Brandworkz.