When we speak with B2B leaders, many assume mobile apps are a distraction. They think customers only place complex orders that require desktops, detailed specs, or large images. They are confident that there’s no way their customers want to download another app.
Our research tells a different story. Contractors in the field, runners picking up orders, and technicians on the jobsite don’t just want mobile, they already work that way.
Designing for the Job Site
Our research from on-site visits, interviews, and surveys make the case clear. Different roles have different mobile needs, but all share this: they want speed and simplicity. Customers are using their phones to snap photos of part numbers, text colleagues, and check stock in ad hoc ways. They are already piecing together their own mobile workflows because the tools they have don’t meet them where they are.
- Contractors want to check pricing and availability instantly, without a laptop or calling a rep. They need to know if the screws, wire, or other parts they need are in stock nearby so they can get them on the spot.
- Runners need quick reordering, confirmations that items are pulled and ready, and navigation tools to the closest branch or even to a specific location inside the branch.
- Customers in-store want an easy way to build a cart and checkout, reducing their time spent waiting in line. Scanning bar codes, fast search, and even a self-checkout to help them avoid any bottlenecks at the counter.
With these features streamlined for mobile, phones become more than a convenience, they become a differentiator. By optimizing repetitive, time-consuming tasks, you reduce service calls, speed up workflows, and strengthen customer loyalty.
Designing for the Field, Not the Desktop
What might come as a surprise is adoption tends to be higher than leaders expect. Many customers have expressed a clear interest in mobile apps. The appetite is real.
Mobile isn’t about shrinking your desktop experience. It’s about rethinking the workflow from the customer perspective. What do they need in the real world? It means prioritizing:
- Speed to task – A contractor standing at a job site doesn’t want to tap through multiple menus. The app should put the most common workflows front and center– search, reorder, and tracking.
- Operational integration – Branch pickups, barcode scanning, and delivery or order confirmations make the app essential, not optional.
- Lightweight design – Every extra step is a barrier. Customers love apps that are clean, fast, and intuitive.
When done right, a mobile app isn’t just a digital tool. It reshapes how customers think about you and your brand. The business that invests in mobile becomes the “one who makes my day easier” and build loyalty no discount can buy.
The bottom line: mobile isn’t about future-proofing. It’s about meeting customers where they are–at the job site, on the road, and on their phones. When you do that, you gain a practical, everyday edge. Don’t, and customers may go somewhere else.