Fast forward to 2013, where the separation of business and private communications has virtually disappeared and what once required two or three devices can now be accomplished using one. Advances in technology – including smart phones, tablets, and much leaner and faster portable computing devices – and carrier services have streamlined the way we connect with voice and electronic media. For business owners and executives, there are few reasons to maintain separate personal and corporate mobile phones today, and with call forwarding and other unified communications options, many are linking their office lines to keep more connected.
With all these advances, it’s not unusual to see executives travelling with just their smartphone, or at least ditching their laptop in favor of a lightweight tablet. The time and hassle saved by streamlining business and personal devices can be substantial, making management and maintenance much easier for a busy professional. With the latest applications and cloud solutions, there are few activities that can’t be done remotely, giving them greater flexibility and helping improve productivity.
These continually advancing technologies allow businesses to engage deeper with customers and other business partners, with near-instantaneous access to information and the ability to provide critical support from virtually any location. The justifications for building a mobility practice continue to grow, especially with the mobile worker population expected to reach 1.3 billion by 2015, according to the IDC Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2011–2015 Forecast. The same report suggests that 71 percent of SMB organizations consider themselves “work-from-anywhere businesses,” requiring a variety of mobile support and security services, such as:
Mobile device management (MDM)
The wide variety of smartphones, tablets, operating systems and applications available causes many organizations to struggle for a simple and effective way to manage all their unique attributes. They need platform flexibility that accommodates a wide array of devices and systems, while meeting an extensive variety of security concerns and compliance directives. With more organizations interested in going mobile, solution providers who offer MDM are better positioned to grow their business. Services in the most demand include encryption, password management, lock-and-wipe capabilities, monitoring, content control and related applications.
Bring your own device (BYOD)
Driven by C-suite executives and line-of business managers, BYOD strategies have already been adopted by more than 82 percent of businesses, according to ZK Research. While the technology creates a number of challenges, the opportunities presented when employees can connect their personal devices to corporate information systems more than compensates for the effort. BYOD shifts some of the corporate costs from device procurement to solutions, allowing management to bolster its security and onboarding infrastructure. That leaves the door open for a capable mobility solution provider to offer the primary and complementary services needed to make the BYOD experience most productive.
Application development
While not every channel company is flush with a pool of development talent, professionals with the expertise to build applications for iOS, Android and Windows mobile have a unique opportunity in the mobility field. They can tailor existing apps to meet their clients’ distinct business needs, as well as design and develop new mobility solutions to address a variety of other issues.
Consultation (assessment, policy creation and strategy)
By providing SMB clients the same personal treatment that enterprise businesses have come to expect, solution providers are more likely to succeed in the mobility field. That starts with assessing their organizational needs, from remote workforce requirements to long-term company objectives. Channel companies with the ability to evaluate their clients’ current mobility infrastructure and devices—and adapt their designs to integrate those systems while meeting their specific needs—are sure to succeed.
Carrier management
When organizations hire new employees, someone has to perform the onboarding processes, including their inclusion in the mobility plan. By offering centralized management of these services, solution providers can eliminate many of their clients’ headaches, such as:
- Tracking company voice and data usage, number of lines, contract dates and warranties.
- Managing new user registration, set up and device deployment.
- Evaluating carrier plans and promotions.
Brian Sherman is founder of Tech Success Communications, specializing in editorial content and consulting for the IT channel. His previous roles include chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and industry alliances director with Autotask. Contact Brian at [email protected].
