Learn to Gain Maximum Value With Handheld Devices
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By David Rubin   
Sunday, 01 July 2007
smc Are the new converged electronic gadgets destined to become just trendy executive toys or will they really revolutionize the way we do business?
Are the new converged electronic gadgets destined to become just trendy executive toys or will they really revolutionize the way we do business?
It has been difficult to ignore the buzz around the launch of Apple’s iPhone. Just as we were becoming immobilized under the weight of all of our disparate mobile devices – including cell phones, portable media players, laptops, PDAs, etc. – in comes Apple to our rescue. But was the launch of iPhone a case of planned obsolescence or a keen ability to anticipate the needs of consumers?

The answer doesn’t really matter. What’s important is what iPhone represents – a trend toward minimizing the number of gadgets we have to carry around with us. How will this trend translate to the business sector? Are the new converged electronic gadgets destined to become just trendy executive toys or will they really revolutionize the way we do business? The answers to these questions depend on a company’s commitment to deploying them intelligently and strategically.

Mobile Unrest
When you look at the evolution of mobile computing, it’s clear that we have been taking very measured steps toward total liberation. Take, for example, the laptop. It certainly enables us to take our work with us wherever we go, but it hasn’t lived up to its full potential. Although portable, the fact is that laptops are somewhat cumbersome in the very situations they were meant to facilitate.

Consider sales calls: Who wants to waste valuable time untangling power cords (or hoping there’s enough battery power), connecting the laptop to a projector and waiting for PowerPoint to open? It’s much simpler to hand out hard copies of your company’s marketing collateral and get right down to business.

Salespeople face similar inconveniences when it comes to relaying information from the sales call back to the office, especially if they are on the road for extended periods of time and Internet connectivity is spotty. It’s probably safe to say that a fair amount of time elapses between when the information is fresh in their minds and when they are able to enter it into the company’s customer relationship management (CRM) application. In some highly competitive industries, even a few hours can make a big difference. Similar examples abound across virtually all industries, which leave many mobile workers saying there has to be a better way.

Enter Handheld Devices
In a relatively short period of time, handheld devices such as smartphones (cell phones that support mobile application solutions) and PDAs have become commonplace business tools. Their size makes them extremely practical and gives true meaning to the mobile mantra “anytime, anywhere.” Fueling their early adoption was the demand for time-saving administrative functionality such as e-mail, calendar access and contact information – often referred to as personal information management (PIM). Handheld device users outside of sales have been enjoying similar efficiencies. However, these time-saving, internal-facing productivity gains are no longer sufficient by themselves.

Now that PIM functionality has become ubiquitous, the mobile work force is looking to squeeze even more functionality out of their handhelds – functionality that will enable them to tap into their company’s enterprise applications in a meaningful way. For example, senior executives who have been using these devices for several years are now demanding access to real-time information such as sales reporting and key performance indicators.

Wireless Revolution
If mobility solutions are not included in your company’s strategic plan, they should be. In fact, the mobile application market is expected to top $2 billion this year, and by 2009, International Data Corp. predicts there will be 878 million mobile workers worldwide. It is imperative that these workers have important information available to them wherever they are. Providing PIM tools such as e-mail, contacts and calendars is the minimum expectation.

Many growth-oriented companies are looking at ways to build mobility into the key internal processes on which they depend. These include horizontal applications such as CRM, supply chain and enterprise resource planning tools as well as applications used in vertical industries such as insurance, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, and retail.

Many organizations, especially in the mid-sized market, are seeking out mobility solutions as differentiators – a way to compete with the largest organizations in their market. There’s no doubt that the availability of real-time applications will pave the way for broader adoption of mobile solutions enterprise-wide, regardless of the enterprise’s size.

Making the Case for Going Mobile
Anyone who works in the field can benefit from mobile applications. Salespeople can use them for CRM applications; the shipping industry can access maps, directions and logistics coordination; field technicians can send and receive information and process service orders; and management can share content and collaborate – more or less any role where “on the go” access to information is critical.

The very size of handheld devices forces simplification of business processes and data as well as standardization. Often, a multi-step process can be reduced to just a few steps when analyzed and “translated” for use on a small screen.

Growing Pains
There’s no doubt that wireless technology has come a long way in a very short time. But concerns over “universal” issues such as security, storage capacity, connectivity and network reliability are keeping many folks awake at night and causing hesitation when it comes to full-scale rollouts.

When you consider the staggering number of handheld devices that go missing each year, robust solutions in encryption and device access control are a must. Solutions include password protection, USB keys and tokens. Protection against theft includes software that will authenticate, monitor, log and remotely wipe devices as well as various encryption scenarios.

IT departments also need to be vigilant with regard to viruses, denial-of-service attacks and malware. They need to ensure that their wireless platform meets appropriate standards to protect their corporate systems and data. Confidentiality is typically achieved using advanced encryption.

While improvements are made seemingly everyday, anyone who regularly uses a handheld can tell you that wireless network performance is still inconsistent and insecure. To compensate for spotty connectivity, consider self-synchronous handheld models or offline modes wherein users can work with intermittent connections.

With regard to network reliability, a number of more-effective options in cellular networks offer a better alternative to Wi-Fi. These include the evolution-data optimized (EV-DO), wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA), and enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE) technologies. These mobile broadband options are not subject to the location limitations associated with the Wi-Fi standard and offer broader network coverage. Many companies will require multiple carrier partnerships in countries around the world; having a solution that is supported by leading carriers will ensure that users have the coverage they require throughout the United States and the rest of the world.

Achieving a Positive ROI
If your mobile solution provides the functionality your mobile work force needs to effectively interface with your core enterprise application, both hard savings (i.e., fewer laptops, reduced long-distance and remote dial-in charges) and soft savings (i.e., increased customer and employee satisfaction, productivity gains and improved workflow) will be realized.

There’s no doubt that handheld devices have great utility and will advance your mobile work force’s productivity. Smart, centralized management of the mobile solution will help ensure that maximum value is achieved.
 
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