The growth of mobile technology in the past few years has not only altered the landscape of consumer gadgetry, but has also had a marked impact on the business world. Smartphones and subsequently tablet devices are changing the way that people communicate for business and pleasure, but this means that companies are having to adapt in order to keep pace with the shifting trends.
Of course, it is possible for a business to simply ignore the new tools that are flooding the market, but doing so will ultimately be detrimental to the firm as a whole, since rivals that do adopt modern mobile technology will be in a better position to grow and succeed, at the expense of those that lag behind.
Provided below is a look at the different ways that mobile technology can be beneficial and the inevitable trends to which businesses are going to have to adapt.
Mobile Working
Modern smartphones and tablets are powerful and connected enough to allow business users access to a wealth of useful features that can keep them productive while they are out in the field.
E-mail, instant messaging and standard voice calls are all part and parcel of the basic smartphone experience, with enterprise integration making it much easier to stay in touch and collaborate on projects.
However, the emergence of app stores and the ability to create bespoke pieces of mobile software that can be useful for individual businesses means that these devices are far more than just suitable for communication.
Apps can enable further productivity benefits, allowing users to share data over the cloud and make sure that their ability to work from a mobile phone comes close to being equivalent to that available to them in the office.
Mobile VoIP
The emergence of smartphones and the wide availability of high-speed connectivity, via 3G networking and Wi-Fi hotspots, has made mobile VoIP services more popular.
It is even possible to make VoIP calls from mobile phones while on-board certain aircraft, so you can get advanced call routing and forwarding features, an extensive contact list and much cheaper charges irrespective of your position thanks to mobile VoIP.
Mobile VoIP is quickly beginning to take over from traditional mobile voice call services, just as fixed line VoIP operating over a broadband connection is replacing landline telephony on premises. This means that businesses can save money and embrace a more flexible technology at the same time.
BYOD
You might assume that the cost of entering the new age of mobile technology would be too steep for some businesses to bear. However, many are now choosing to implement a culture of BYOD (bring your own device), since millions of people across the country now own a smartphone or tablet for personal use and will end up using it for work purposes whether or not this is officially sanctioned.
As well as taking the onus of cost away from the business, adopting BYOD means that you will be better able to regulate the use of mobile technology by staff, rather than letting them go about it without any specific guidance.
There are obvious concerns over security related to modern mobile technology and its use in a business environment. However, if you simply choose to shun this type of hardware and software altogether, you will effectively drive its use underground, with people harnessing devices irrespective of the rules and thus putting your company at greater risk in the long run.
The best way to deal with these changes is to become mobile savvy and happy to encourage the implementation of new mobile technology at work.
Daisy Group plc. are one of the UK’s leading provider of business mobile phones, offering the latest business mobile handsets and tariffs at competitive prices. As an O2 COE and Vodafone Premier Partner you can be confident that we will provide you with a range of services, tailored to meet your business requirements. Our business packages are designed to help keep your business connected whether your a single user, a small- to medium-sized company or a large corporation.