Prepare Your Business for the Future of Mobility
June 13, 2016 by Lore Marketing Team
In 1973, John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola introduced the world to the first mobile phone. Ten years later, the first mobile phone was available – the DynaTAC 8000x. Mobile phones have come a long way since those first models. No one would have ever imagined people would be communicating, researching, and conducting business on them. It has happened though, and the technological advancements associated with mobile devices are not slowing down.
By next year, it is expected that people are going to be using mobile devices more than they already do for making purchases. In fact, researchers expect that half of commerce revenue will be from mobile devices. By 2018, people are going to prefer wearable devices. The ability to search, read, and pay for services and products from a few taps of the wrist are going to require employers to make significant changes to the way they manage their business.
Challenges Businesses Face with Mobility
With new ways to do work, employers face many challenges. Most of them have to do with security, but some of the issues also hamper functionality and productivity. Understanding and preparing for the challenges of mobile devices can help businesses approach the future of mobility with confidence.
Issues with A Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Workplace
Many organizations allow employees to use their personal mobile devices to work (BYOD). Security is the biggest concern, but there are also challenges with user experiences, data, and device management, and compensation for the use of personal mobile devices for work.
Most of these issues come from inexperienced IT departments that have not created and implemented an effective mobile strategy. Without a plan of how data on personal mobile devices will be protected and a system of checks and balances for the way they are used, employees and employers will be taken advantage of by not gaining the security, functionality, and compensation deserved. Any business interested in introducing mobile devices into the workplace should have a detailed strategy on how they will be managed in respect to security and user experience.
Steps to Preparing Your Business for Mobility
Since the mobile device strategy is critical to successful introduction of mobility for businesses, the following are the steps to come up with that plan and then how to implement it.
Step 1: Build a Mobility Roadmap
A mobility roadmap identifies how to manage devices used in the workplace. The roadmap starts with the types of devices allowed to be used for the business. If employees BYOD, there must be criteria for how those devices can be used during work hours.
Once allowable devices are identified, the map should show what the devices will do and how those functions will be developed. The roadmap should be extremely detailed, including how the applications will be secured and how data will remain confidential. Data transmissions will need to be encrypted while keeping user functionality and speed at an optimal level.
Step 2: Control the Organization’s Mobile Devices
All mobile devices should be accounted for and tracked. If the business allows BYOD, the specifications and identifying information should be entered into a database (i.e. serial number, model number, and type of device). With this information, it will be simple to track devices that may have been at risk for security threats. It can also be a good way to manage problems with devices to have them serviced quickly and easily.
Step 3: Secure Applications on the Devices
IT departments should have the duty of securing the apps installed on all mobile devices. The apps themselves may have encryption and a lock for protection, or there may need to be additional apps installed. These securities need to be updated and checked on a regular basis. IT managers should stay on task with installs, upgrades, and even resets of the devices and apps if needed.
Step 4: Increase Productivity with Management Tools
With mobile advancements taking place virtually every day, a business’s IT department should be proactive with applications that will help users increase productivity. Effective applications will help with content and project management. Cloud storage can be utilized to share information about services and products to quickly meet customers’ demands.
Step 5: Manage BYOD Compensation
Management tools should contain information about devices, expenses, and costs. The tool will help a business compensate employees for the business use of their personal mobile devices. This compensation may include wireless plans and payment of the device. Automatic payments should be implemented to avoid any issues with employees failing to receive the compensation they deserve when using personal devices.
Step 6: Implement, Deploy and Support Users
With all of the fundamentals of using mobile devices in a business in place, all that needs to be done is implement, deploy, and support users. Disseminating the guidelines to employees, entering their devices into a database, installing applications and security, being available for technical issues, and compensating BYOD employees will ensure that mobile devices are used without huge security breaches, lack of productivity, and loss of revenue.
Prepare for Mobility at Your Business
Preparing your business for mobility starts now. It takes time to create a mobility strategy for your business, and implementing and deploying the strategy is not any faster. Many business owners seek mobility consulting for expert advice on what needs to be done to ensure an easy and quick shift to mobility. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Need more help with your business’s shift to mobility? contact us for additional information on how to prepare.