Becoming a mobile enterprise…
Within the world of enterprise IT there are three huge shifts underway; the rise of mobile technology in the workspace, the uptake of cloud services and the growing independence of the end-user. As a result of these three trends coming together, CIOs and IT managers need to start thinking seriously about a mobile strategy that makes sense for their individual organisation.
Denis O’Shea, CEO of mobile management company Mobile Mentor, discusses the issues CIOs and CFOs face on the back of these trends and puts forward a model that businesses and government entities can use to develop a mobile strategy.
Accelerate through change
When it comes to using mobile technology to its maximum benefit, most organisations would confess they are not even close. Mobile assets are primarily used as an internal communication tool and not managed efficiently. Yet mobile technology has the potential to really empower employees and can be used as a channel to engage with external customers.
A best-in-class approach sees a three-stage structure: regain control, empower staff and build a mobile channel. If managed well, cost is released at the end of each stage which can be re-invested in getting the next phase off the ground.
The 3- Stage Mobile Strategy
Regain Control
Better management of mobile users, devices and expenses ultimately reduces cost. A great place to start is the mobile policy. In most companies the policy needs an update that includes BYO considerations and a clear specification of the spend, security and level of support for each user group. You can now actively monitor and manage policy adherence through a wide range of Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools and services. Plus, mobile expense management (MEM) tools and services will help reduce your mobile cost by typically 15-30%. As a result CIOs and CFOs can regain control of their mobile environment and cost savings can be reinvested in achieving the next stage: empowering employees.
Empower Internal Staff
Today’s employees are expecting more collaboration to make decisions faster and closer to customers, in real-time. Having a range of effective apps, which employees know how to use, will really improve mobile productivity. MDM tools can help you with this by displaying a catalogue of recommended apps, whether propriety or external, on the users’ devices. You can then provide training and support for the recommended apps as part of your provisioning process to drive adoption and policy compliance. Remember, anyone can use a mobile device but not everyone can conduct business on a mobile.
Engage External Customers
Only 10 years ago many companies were wondering whether they needed a website. “If we build it, will they come?” Now the same questions are being asked about mobile technology. We know mobile is the most available, most immediate channel to the customer. New channels enable new business models and new revenue opportunities. Developing mobile apps for this is getting easier, faster and cheaper which means the barrier to entry is no longer an excuse for getting started.
Time to get started…
Quite apart from giving companies a framework to start them off on their mobile strategy, the main benefit of this approach is that it does it without increasing the total cost of ownership to the business. Which is what we all want, isn’t it?
