The mobile application landscape is diverse, with applications aimed at a variety of end-user types and ranging from relatively standard “horizontal” solutions through to highly-specialised applications that serve a specific industry need. While it is only relatively recently that some sectors have begun to explore the benefits of “vertical” applications tailored to their specific industry, there are already some exciting success stories from early adopters.

In this white paper, completed over the course of a one-year long engagement on behalf of one of our clients – Orange Business Services – we examine the benefits and challenges associated with some of these emerging mobile applications, specifically exploring vertical applications in eight key industries (healthcare, transport, manufacturing, construction, retail, finance & insurance, public sector, professional services). We describe the drivers and rationale for their adoption, the processes they support, the benefits they deliver and how they are being developed and deployed. We also explore the similarities and differences in how various industries approach and leverage mobile vertical applications.

This report draws upon insights from over 60 organisations across Europe, whose contribution we would like to acknowledge and several of whose successes with mobile vertical applications are profiled in detail in this report.

Construction

• Doosan
• Hilson Moran
• Isolux Corsan

Finance & Insurance

• Ageas
• BBVA
• Caser
• Cinven
• Generali Group
• LexisNexis
• Santander

Healthcare

• Airstrip Technologies
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
• Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)
• Roche
• Union Chimique Belge (UCB)

Manufacturing

• Asahi Glass Co. (AGC)
• Arcelor Mittal
• Atlas Copco
• Doosan
• Gonvarri Grupo Gonvarri
• Renault
• Union Chimique Belge (UCB)

Professional Services

• Everis
• JCDecaux
• PMT Marketing System
• SDWorx
• Shoosmiths
• USG People

Public Sector

• Agiv
• Mairie de Paris
• STIB MIVB
• Transport for London (TFL)

Retail & Wholesale

• Camelot
• Colruyt
• GS1
• PMT Marketing System
• Real Madrid

Transport

• Cespa
• GeoPost
• Infrabel
• ISS
• Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges (SNCB)
• Société Nationale des Chemins de fer français (SNCF)
• Transport for London (TFL)

Ecosystem

• Applied Principles
• Bloomberg
• GSM Association
• Microsoft
• Motorola
• NEC
• Research in Motion (RIM)
• SAP AG

[link to parallel release of white paper on Orange Business Services website]