Well-managed mobility puts the world in the palm of your hand

Cathleen Lester, Product Manager: HP Retail, Axiz, says that from an IT perspective, choosing to stay in your comfort zone will not only limit the successful implementation and adoption of mobile solutions, but will also put productivity levels at risk. Through education and training by solution providers, businesses can be assured that they have employed the correct mobile solutions and that they have a clear understanding of the core capabilities of these, thus optimising their investment.

Mobility as an enterprise priority is a growing trend, she says, because mobile solutions are key players in defining the parameters and dynamics of how current and future business will operate. As a result, businesses adopt new technologies to remain competitive and relevant in the markets in which they operate. Corporate South Africa and government have also recognised the impact mobility has on productivity as a bottom-line contributor, and so more and more solutions are being geared towards mobility.

Elaborating on her experience of the successful adoption and implementation of mobile solutions at Axiz, Lester says that she sees no reason why CIOs should shy away from this technology. When correctly implemented, utilised and managed, she says, mobile solutions equip employees with the relevant tools to manage today's dynamic and complex corporate environment. And for the company, the correct management of these mobile solutions brings cost savings and optimal efficiency.

“Although notebooks are still the device of choice for most users, the increasing automation of business processes is driving a growing need for everywhere access to data, hence the huge influx of small mobile devices into businesses. CIOs would therefore be wise to get ahead of the curve and work with, rather than against, early adopters in the company - they are likely among the most productive employees in the organisation.”

Once you've acknowledged that mobile devices are a fact of life, you must face certain security issues, Lester adds. A major concern is that whether mobile productivity devices are owned by the business or by employees, corporate data will find its way onto them and, very often, out your front door. Mobile devices have a way of being lost or stolen and becoming gold mines for thieves looking for sensitive information.

As mobile devices connect to network resources intermittently, keeping tabs on them, their software and their data is a daunting management task, especially for IT departments already stretched thin. There are however products that can assist in this, Lester says.

HP has a unique advantage in the handheld market with its partnership with a mobile device management company which offers software specific to the HP handheld line-up. Updates are consistently managed “over the air” in real-time, while remote diagnostics and trouble shooting are also made possible. Both these functions essentially reduce downtime and increase productivity.

From a security point of view, this software package allows for remote lockdown should the handheld go missing with important and confidential information on it. “Axiz and HP continue to drive the management tools available to our customers to optimise efficiencies and ensure security at the highest level, so as to make mobile solutions an asset of real value to our channel partners.”