Guest post written by Anthony Macciola
Anthony Macciola is chief technology officer at Kofax, a provider of information capture software.
Mobile devices have turned us into instant gratification junkies. We want to use our smart phones or tablets to do business whenever we want and wherever we want. We want complaints and issues addressed immediately. No pausing, no waiting, no having to loop back for the next step a day or even an hour later. We want to point, click, wave or gesture and have the task at hand completed so we can cross it off our endless to-do lists.
As a result, business operations must be reimagined, giving the consumer more control over where, when and how they engage with an organization. Transactions must execute in real-time and provide the user immediate feedback with minimal intrusion to their daily lives. Customized self-service becomes the model that users demand and organizations must adapt to.
But before an organization can move to a model using mobile technology, it’s important to understand how current businesses processes are implemented. Most companies manage their daily business operations using some sort of system of record. Systems of record are robust, proven, and in most cases, the very foundation of the enterprise. They’re also monolithic, meaning they don’t adapt easily to rapid change and growth.
This is where mobile devices come in. Tools and solutions exist today allowing mobile users to capture content at the point where it originates - directly from the user. Here, the content is accurate and actionable. Optimizing image quality, classifying the content and extracting the relevant information contained within the content happens on the spot and the information is delivered into processes and workflows that manage business transactions. All this can be done within a customized, branded mobile application that can then interface with a system of record.
So what does this new generation of purpose built mobile apps look like and do?
Let’s start with an example using a corporate knowledge worker: a field insurance adjustor.
A customized mobile app can allow a field-based insurance adjustor to review his or her task and schedule for the day. When the adjuster selects an appointment, the application provides directions to the repair shop. It indicates who needs to be spoken with, whether it’s in person or over the phone, and it specifies what documents, photos or signatures must be collected. When the adjustor arrives, he or she can initiate the claim using the same mobile app, which walks the adjustor through the process of capturing a photo of: the accident report, the repair quote and the claimant’s driver’s license. From there, the app directs the adjustor to take photos of the damage and perform a video walk around the entire vehicle to show the overall condition of the vehicle. The adjustor then hands the mobile device to the claimant, who reads an authorization statement while the device records the audio and snaps a photo for verification purposes. Repair estimates are input and the mobile app initiates the claims process. The adjustor is then notified on site in front of both the repair shop agent and the claimant that two of the proposed repair costs are too high and adjustments should be made. The app sends the adjustments to the repair shop and the claimant and asks them both to sign on the adjustor’s mobile device. The claimant has insight into the process and the repair shop is approved to start repairs immediately. This claim is complete. The adjustor is then given directions to his next appointment.
Let’s look at a consumer example: a new car loan from a credit union.
You find the red convertible of your dreams and want to use your smartphone to engage with your credit union. The credit union’s customized mobile loan app captures an image of your driver’s license, the window sticker of the new car, and the business card of the sales representative at the dealership. You input some basic information such as loan period and down payment into the app and submit. Once submitted, a few seconds pass before you receive an authorization code, a total loan amount, the interest rate you’re eligible for based on your credit rating and the amount of the monthly payment. The application asks whether you’d like to accept or reject the offer. Once accepted, you can use the camera in the phone to capture an image of the check for the amount of your deposit or credit card. The application emails the sales representative your authorization form and you’re on the road in your new car.
There are hundreds of different use cases for mobile apps, but the same theme resonates across all of them: How do businesses initiate dynamic user experiences that allow customers to own and drive critical business processes? Leveraging mobile technology to engage with customers on their terms is the first step.
