Do-it-yourself projects are all the rage these days. Whether it’s building your own patio deck or a one-of-a-kind computer, people are rolling up their sleeves and performing the work themselves, partly for the challenge, and partly to save from paying a third party. A lot of these projects turn out great; others seem more destined for an episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos. Success depends on the competence and skill of the do-it-yourselfer.
There’s one area where it’s probably a better idea to rely on the pros rather than trying it on your own: building a mobile asset management system.
Many companies have fine and capable IT departments that are a credit to their organizations. As a result, executives and decision makers rightly wonder why their own staff can’t construct a working mobile system while saving a lot of money at the same time. These execs are forgetting, of course, what their company’s primary mission is. An oil company produces oil and petroleum products. A mine extracts metals and minerals from the earth. A utility generates power or delivers water. So why do something outside of your field of expertise? You wouldn’t trust a software-as-a-service company to produce gasoline, right?
If you’re not convinced and still want to give it a go, then you need to be aware of six hidden costs you’ll encounter as you build your own system.
Multi-platform support
When you create a mobile application, you need to develop multiple versions for different platforms, including Android, Windows and iOS. Also, you need to develop a separate version of the app for tablets, apart from the basic version for smartphones. This means your initial development costs will continue to increase, or worse, you’ll need to hire specialized engineers and designers well versed in multi-platform development, itself an expensive prospect.
Integration
A DIY mobile asset management platform will have to integrated with your existing SAP infrastructure. It also must work with other external services, including social media networks or other service providers using API. Though some are free, others require a monthly subscription fee. This means huge costs, which need to be included in your budget.
Back-end development
You must analyze the development cost for integrating the database (apart from server programming), including registration, backup, and sync. This adds costs you might not have considered during planning.
Cloud storage
Storing data on the cloud means you incur hosting costs every month. These costs depend on the volume of the data that get stored and the service provider.
QA activity
Fool-proof quality assurance testing is vital at all stages of the development to ensure seamless performance of your DIY system. This leads to hidden costs, such as running and maintaining the automation software and test suits.
Maintenance
The costs of maintaining an in-house system depends on its complexity. You must factor in updates, bug removal, patches and even security enhancements. You also need to constantly monitor the service and respond quickly to mitigate probable disruptions. All this means huge expenditure, which can’t be avoided if you want to ensure consistent functionality.
After reading this, are you sure you still want to build your own mobile asset management system? You’re good at your business, so, why deviate from your core activity?
Innovapptive, a mobile-first digital transformation provider, has invested years of research to develop cost-efficient, easy-to-use mobile asset management solutions that work right out of the box. Our solutions enable users to better manage fixed assets, conduct more accurate inventories and proactively maintain equipment to reduce downtime. Above all, they cut costs, increase revenues and enhance user experiences.
To learn more about Innovapptive and how our mobile digital asset management solutions can be a game-changer for your business, schedule a free demo today by calling 844-464-6668 or by clicking here.
