Did you know that on the average, the small business workforce spends almost 25% of its time on the road? Not only that but a recent survey by CompTIA (Computer Technology Industry Association) indicates that about 10% of the SMB workforce is now mobile with at least one employee telecommuting or consistently on the road. The survey also noted that currently many SMBs don’t have the infrastructure or business processes to support mobility for its workers. With the right mobility solution in place, your organization can increase productivity, reduce operating costs, and extend the technology infrastructure without breaking the bank.
Think about the implications for productivity and for your bottom line. Additionally, a wealth of specially designed mobility tools which integrate with CRM (customer relationship management) solutions and business management software have emerged for specific industries and professions such as real estate professionals and field service technicians where being on the road is the rule. With more affordable options and simplified technology, small organizations worldwide are now using mobility solutions. Tools such as remote access, online collaboration and broadband wireless offer access to critical information and data anywhere, anytime, and on any device and empower customers and employees to stay connected.
Mobility or the use of mobile technology in business is growing fast, accessible to small businesses and encompasses every aspect of your technology environment. Examples of mobility solutions include:
- Wireless any-time access to your office network via laptops, PDAs, Smartphones, Blackberry, iPhones
- Email or data access from anywhere (home, hotel, Internet hot spot; wired, wireless)
- Secure connection to your inventory system via PDAs with barcode readers
- Field service solutions such as PDAs and mobile printers (think UPS) with real-time access to trouble tickets and order processing
Mobile technology acts as an extension of your hard-wired infrastructure to allow your employees, customers or suppliers real time access to applications, data and devices from outside of your physical local area network (LAN). Mobile solutions take that technology and put it to use for specific purposes and to solve particular problems. For example, real estate professionals can benefit from a notebook and wireless broadband connection (Aircard) so that constantly changing MLS listings can be accessed from the road (see HP’s solutions for real estate). Field service technicians equipped with PDAs can process tickets, update inventory and respond to service requests in real-time, meaning more service calls, less office time and happier customers. Organizations with extended support hours can allow home-based workers full access to the network and even a take-home VOIP phone for use with their own broadband connection.
Today, work is no longer limited to a specific place. Your employees are out in the field, telecommuting, in meetings, away from their desk or just constantly on the move. But without access to your company network, customers and team members, time away from work is unproductive or even wasted. By connecting mobile workers to your network and to other online tools, you can enable them to sustain a seamless work-flow on the road or from home, making their jobs easier and more effective. That means a better bottom line for the business.
Small Business Mobility Solutions from The Launch Pad
It can be daunting to navigate the overwhelming variety of mobility hardware, software and processes. Hardware and software choices should be made with specific goals and objectives for improving business productivity and communications. The elements of the solution need to be designed to work well together. The goal should be to solve identified problems or challenges for the business with a clear return on investment. We can work with your organization to design a mobile technology solution within your budget that expands your existing network and business outside the four walls. Implementing the right solution means increased employee productivity away from the office, improved customer satisfaction and ultimately more revenue for your business.. Call us today 888-920-0788 x202 or e-mail sales@launchpadonline.com to request a no-cost site audit and proposal for your managed backup solution.
