3 Keys to Successful Mobility Deployment
In the next three years, 1.75 billion people will be mobile within the workplace, which means businesses are tackling mobility with the hope of increasing productivity and increasing operational efficiency. However, in order to do this, businesses need to realise there is so much more to implementing a mobility solution than just choosing an attractive handset. It should be about implementing a solution that is interoperable, flexible, and offers the highest level of security. Any business that ensures their mobility deployment meets these three prerequisites will see a much-warranted return on investment (ROI).
Let’s look at these 3 factors in more detail:
1. Interoperability
Interoperability can generally be defined as the ability of a system or product to work with other systems or products without special effort on the part of the customer. According to Enterprise Mobility Exchange, 40% of professionals who are responsible for mobility implementation in their businesses believe that legacy integration will be the biggest obstacle they will face when implementing a mobile solution. However, this does not need to be the case, as a truly versatile solution should integrate seamlessly within existing systems, ensuring that the communications network is no longer tangled up in a web of communication silos that can hinder employee productivity, efficiency, collaboration, and even safety.
Ideally, when selecting a mobility solution, you require a vendor that can offer direct integration with all global technology leaders. A fully customisable interoperable mobile solution should provide a connection between legacy systems and future applications, help streamline operations, and increase ROI. Not only this, but there will be a significant cost reduction in systems installation & integration, operations, capital and IT upgrades – just to name a few benefits.
In addition to integrating seamlessly with your call server, you must also consider a vendor that interoperates with mobile applications; a solution that is built on preferably an Android platform, as Google has been at the forefront of integrating app interoperability for some time now.
2. Scalability
System flexibility and scalability have always been a requirement for an efficient and effective communications infrastructure. As your system grows it must have the capacity to scale to accommodate more internal and external users without points of failure.
Therefore, when it comes to mobile solutions, businesses need to ensure that their selected solution meets their requirements today but also houses the flexibility to be integrated and adapted to new technology to meet the organisations future needs and growth goals.
As businesses take on the challenge of migrating to next-generation networks they are faced with the difficult decision, choose to upgrade existing systems and software or, whether to bite the bullet and implement a new unified interoperable communications platform. Upgrades tend to cause more issues as existing systems will often not support the latest technologies resulting in the need to be replaced, which means there will be compulsory down-time, significant capital investment and multi-year roll-outs; causing an extended amount of hassle for the business.
When choosing a mobility solution, businesses need to ensure it is flexible to adapt to the company’s future strategies, be it to expand with new sites and new employees which will require additional mobility infrastructure and handsets or to defend the bottom line and scale down to reduce spend and protect profitability.
3. Security
Having chosen the right system, the next step for businesses is to address the issue of security. In 2016, 80% of European companies experienced at least one cyber security incident; this elucidates why the security of networks is increasingly under scrutiny. It is important that when implementing a new mobility system that security is a key priority. Solutions should house an infrastructure that is secured from theft and hacking of both company information and private client data. Not only this, but regulations are continuing to change, as can be demonstrated by the recent implementation of the new EU GDPR, thus forcing mobile solutions to be flexible to comply with new regulations.
It is also worthwhile for businesses to re-evaluate whether promoting a BYOD (bring your own device) policy within the business. If the devices being used are for both business and personal use, then a whole ream of security risks arise, as devices will be used on public transport and in other public places where they will no longer be held in a secure environment. Also, it is important to remember that consumer devices are much more appealing to thieves, and are more at risk of being stolen, meaning it is possible for sensitive business information to fall into the wrong hands. Enterprise-grade solutions using Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) help businesses manage and maximize security in a mobile enterprise.
Conclusion
When an organisation is looking to upgrade or install a brand-new mobility solution, it needs to be confirmed whether it is to enhance productivity, to introduce operational efficiencies via new applications or to simply save time with core operations. Needless to say, there will be cost savings and rapid ROI; none of which will be achieved without choosing a solution which is interoperable, flexible and secure.
Here at Spectralink, offering professional rugged telephony solutions is at the centre of what we do – which enables businesses to reach their productivity and efficiency goals through increased mobility.
To find out more about how to implement a successful mobility solution download our latest whitepaper, titled: What are the top 3 requirements for a successful mobility deployment?