A lot of business owners kick the tires on mobility before moving on to committing capital to other facets of their IT. When we write about mobility, we typically mean a commitment to technology that allows staff to work on company projects, access company resources and do it all from remote locations. This month, we’ll talk a little bit about what it means to enhance your operational and staff mobility and provide you some solutions that will facilitate that change for your company.
Operational Mobility
For decades, a business was synonymous with the physical address where its offices/storefront/plant were. Your workers come to your business to access workplace resources and do their work at the business. For many businesses, this is the way you still do things, but there are several options today that were not available in the past that push operations outside the confines of your place of business.
Today, businesses are working at higher speeds, thanks in large part to mobility. For example, instead of having to call in an order, customers utilize web interfaces and mobile apps to order the goods and services they need. This allows companies to automate large parts of their customer service and product ordering processes, cutting payroll costs, inefficiencies and mistakes.
Additionally, operational mobility allows companies to track nearly everything. This includes the efficiency and effectiveness of the jobs being undertaken, the procurement of resources and the billing cycle. The tools that allow companies to accomplish this are traditionally powered by preconfigured automated tools, or these days, the “internet of things.” The cost shift, coupled with the cost savings, can be passed onto the consumer or vendor, who in turn will be more apt to utilize and refer your product.
Staff Mobility
Staff mobility can mean one of two things, but they’re both important. Staff mobility describes the ability for people to work where they are, or outside the organization. With tools such as cloud computing and virtual private networks (VPN), it is now possible for any worker that needs access to centralized resources while they’re outside of the workplace to have complete and unimpeded access to those resources, without complicating or compromising security.
The other meaning of mobility is the process of managing people and their roles in the company. With the implementation of strategic tools like management software, businesses can determine the variables they prioritize into key performance indicators (KPIs). Using these metrics, management decisions are more often based on merit. Putting better people in situations where they can thrive makes your business better.
If you’d like to talk to one of Advisors Tech’s IT professionals about increased mobility, call us today at 844.671.6071.