Are you making the most of mobile?
Posted by Dan Martin in Technology on Fri, 17/02/2012 - 11:14
Advances in mobile technology mean that entrepreneurs can now access a whole host of critical business information however they want, when they want. Whilst many companies have embraced mobile technology at a basic level, Sage’s mobile specialist Geoff Phillips explores how owners can tap into the true potential of smart devices.
Regardless of whether you're an Apple addict, hero worshipping the HTC or a Crackberry user, few technological advances have had the same level of impact on the way we do things as mobile devices. The adoption of smartphones, tablets and netbooks has rocketed in the past year, with nearly half of the British public owning a smartphone in 2011 (Kantar Worldpanel, ComTech, October 2011) and tablet sales having grown four fold in 2011 (Comscore, November 2011). But as a business owner, before investing in technology and empowering your people, it is vital that you ask yourself the fundamental questions: will mobile benefit my business and what value will it deliver?
Mobile considerations
There are three things I believe every business must consider in order to get the most from mobile technology:
1) Are we using mobile effectively?
There is a fundamental question that you must ask: is yours the type of business that could use mobile devices more effectively? Are you often out of the office or travelling?
Some types of service based businesses may work on few projects over the course of a year and have less need for processing or tracking finances. Those types of business often need little more than access to email or social media.
But many businesses that are either product based or transact and deal with numerous customers and suppliers can benefit from devices that give them access to business critical information when and where they need it.
You do not want to create a mobile infrastructure that adapts to every device without thinking through what your business actually needs. However, if you spend time out of the office wishing you could check the status of accounts or input data as it is captured, rather than waiting for a free afternoon back in the office, then you should look at making use of mobile technologies. It's amazing what you can do now with a smartphone or tablet – especially if you're using a mobile optimised application or service.
2) Decide what devices you need
Business owners need to think about what kinds of devices they need to go mobile. What do you need to do on the move and what software do people need to access? The complexity of the software you are using out of the office can dictate whether you need to invest in tablets or smartphones, or both. Different mobile operating systems may complement your existing IT systems better than others and factors such as security and reliability of networks should be a very serious consideration in deciding what devices you need.
You could also look at a 'bring your own mobile' programme and encourage use of personal equipment in work time through contributing to the purchase of those devices.
3) Appoint a project lead
As with any new technology implemented in a business, it helps to make someone responsible for mobile that can also be in charge of training users to make the most of your deployment. There's no point driving through new mobile initiatives if no one knows how to use the equipment or systems. Taking the time to adequately train users ensures their buy-in and is the cornerstone to a successful roll-out.
The benefits?
Once you've decided that mobile technology is right for your business, there are a number of areas that it can deliver real benefits:
1) Cashflow: The current economic climate has meant many businesses are running much leaner operations whether that's a reduction in stock holding or an enforced throttling of your cash flow. It goes without saying that the closer you are to your finances, the more able you'll be to manage your business through periods when it’s a case of balancing your cost base. Being able to monitor your accounts on a secure and live basis helps you to make sure payments are coming in and going out when agreed.
2) CRM: There are a few business-critical areas which can be significantly enhanced by incorporating mobile technology into your approach, including CRM. By being able to access CRM software on the move, businesses can achieve considerable time savings and gain an edge on sales. By being able to access and input customer data remotely, a firm can eliminate the time that would traditionally have been spent travelling back to the office. Additionally, if you can access details of all past transactions and interactions with a customer prior to walking into a meeting with them, your business is well placed to explore every possible opportunity, e.g., if a contract is up for renewal in the next few weeks.
3) Work/life balance: Mobile technology also gives business owners the flexibility to achieve a better work/life balance. A recent Sage UK Omnibus survey revealed that 43% of the 1,000 SMEs surveyed managed their finances out of hours. Going mobile allows firms to maximise dead time, whether on a train or out of the office between meetings, by providing the ability to access and update business-critical information.
4) Productivity: It's not just away from the office that smart devices can improve productivity. As they are quick and convenient to start up, smart devices also offer users the potential to speedily review or capture information when in a meeting or away from their desk. For impromptu meetings to be productive, having this level of information at your fingertips can be priceless.
Going mobile has numerous benefits for a large proportion of small businesses, and whilst it is not right for all firms to invest in mobile technology, it can deliver significant benefits to most SMEs. Increasing numbers of business owners are turning to mobile to improve efficiency and gain real competitive advantage out in the field, so if you are not yet a part of this revolution, an investigation into its suitability for your business should be high on the list of priorties for 2012.
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