Why Wireless Working is Important to Organisations of all Sizes

I have on the desk in front of me a device about the same size as a bar of chocolate. Its primary purpose is to provide me with the freedom to be anywhere I choose and yet allow me to speak (at the touch of a few buttons) to anyone else in the world similarly equipped with such a device and without my needing to know where they are.  That in itself is a phenomenal capability.

But this device which fits comfortably into my pocket is more than a one trick pony. It can also store the name, address and phone number of everyone I know, remind me of their anniversaries and any appointments I may choose make with them, tell me the time, show me a list of things I should be doing, and even calculate the number of shopping days before my birthday.

This little gadget also has the ability to track its location (and therefore mine) anywhere on the planet to within 10 metres, and optionally share that information with third parties.  If I choose I can also use the device’s camera to take and transmit still photos and video clips of where I am and what I am doing direct to the devices of my friends, or to their internet email addresses. It also has the capability for me to access information on any of the countless millions of web-sites which exist, and even to write and publish content to my own web-sites.  This little technological marvel also has sufficient on-board power to run for a couple of days between charges, even if I spend some of my dead travel time using it to download and play music and games.

The cost to me of my pocket infotainment centre and gateway to the world is nothing! Nothing, that is, other than a one year commitment from me to purchase a cellular voice and data services contract (which cost me less than I am paying for my single function, fixed line, phone at home) and provides me with more minutes than I can comfortably use in any month.

This wealth of technology and services is of course also available to enterprises and the fact is that in many cases employees enjoy – and pay for – a rich mobile experience on their private mobile phones in advance of anything many employers might ask them to use during the working day.

Mobile working has the potential to increase satisfaction, efficiency and improve service delivery by changing current processes and reallocating valuable staff resources. To make the most of these opportunities requires new ways of thinking and a fresh approach to business solutions.

Until very recently organisations would postpone a mobile project because of perceived risks, or in anticipation of faster, better, cheaper technology in the near future. Whilst it is true that the march of progress will always offer the tempting promise of better stuff tomorrow, usable bandwidth mobile networks are already ubiquitous in most of the developed world. There is no need to wait for the network of tomorrow when GPRS, 3G and WiFi are here now, and comprehensive choice of devices and software products are available at commodity pricing in high street retail stores.

The returns on investment for mobile projects continue to be compelling and mobile working is no longer a technology dependent decision. If a functional manager is able to define how communication of information to field workers would enable them to work more efficiently and effectively, they will find they have a choice of suppliers and solutions available to them. Much of my company’s work is in helping business owners and managers clarify those definitions and make those choices.

So, mobile devices and network technologies have evolved to the point where it is possible to give the executive road warrior, field service representative and teleworker access to corporate networks, databases and applications from virtually anywhere. For enterprises the time of waiting is well and truly over. To delay a mobile project serves only to delay the realisation of a wealth of benefits which a growing number of their competitors are already achieving.