Is another mobile acronym on your Christmas list? Great! I have one for you, MEMP (mobile enterprise management platform). A MEMP is designed to help you keep mobile systems, mobile networks, mobile devices and your mobile workforce working and productive. This is not easy if you have several thousand mobile devices being used in mission critical roles across a wide geographic area.
When my family and I are traveling on trains in Europe, all of the rail staff that check your tickets and sell you snacks are carrying mobile devices. Airports and airport gates are increasingly being operated by people with mobile devices. Public safety and emergency responders are nearly all carrying mobile devices today.
If you have the good fortune of being the person responsible for keeping mission critical mobile applications and mobile devices operating, then you would appreciate the value of a MEMP.
Global Economic Development, Prosperity and Enterprise Mobility
In the book The Birth of Plenty, the author William J. Bernstein proposes that prosperity is based on the following four tenets:
1. Property Rights – Creators must have proper incentives to create.
2. Scientific Rationalism – Innovators must possess the proper intellectual tools in order to innovate and must be able to do so without fear of retribution.
3. Capital Markets – Entrepreneurs must have access to sufficient capital to pursue their visions.
4. Transportation/Communications – Society must be able to rapidly and efficiently move information and finished products.
Bernstein says that the presence of, or lack of, these four items determines the level of prosperity of a people or country.
When I read item four on the list I thought about enterprise mobility. I have worked on, seen and heard about many mobile enterprise applications that have enabled economic development and a higher quality of life. Let me share a few of them.
1. Property Rights – Creators must have proper incentives to create.
2. Scientific Rationalism – Innovators must possess the proper intellectual tools in order to innovate and must be able to do so without fear of retribution.
3. Capital Markets – Entrepreneurs must have access to sufficient capital to pursue their visions.
4. Transportation/Communications – Society must be able to rapidly and efficiently move information and finished products.
Bernstein says that the presence of, or lack of, these four items determines the level of prosperity of a people or country.
When I read item four on the list I thought about enterprise mobility. I have worked on, seen and heard about many mobile enterprise applications that have enabled economic development and a higher quality of life. Let me share a few of them.
The Intangible Benefits of Enterprise Mobility
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In an article re-published in The Wall Street Journal last year, The Secrets of Intangible Wealth, author Ronald Bailey writes the following, “A Mexican migrant to the US is 5 times more productive than one who stays home.” Did your interest peak like mine when you read that line? The data comes from research done by the World Bank. Here is the reason why according to Bailey. The average American has access to over $418,000 in intangible wealth, while the stay-at-home Mexican’s intangible wealth is just $34,000.
What is intangible wealth? The World Bank’s environmental economics department describes it as, “trust among people in a society, an efficient judicial system, clear property rights and effective governments.” The value of these intangibles according to the World Bank is significant. Who wants to invest in property if it can be taken away any time? Who wants to develop a large manufacturing plant in a location where these intangibles are hard to come by?
Key Performance Indicators in Mobile Applications
Picture this - a service technician, Frank, opens his mobile application and sees that he is ranked sixth out of 18 service technicians in products and services sold. He also sees that he is the fastest service technician at completing work on a particular piece of equipment. Overall he can see that he is ranked number three when all of the figures are added up and weighed. Now let me ask you, "Is this a good thing?" Is it useful to develop KPIs (key performance indicators) and then measure and share them? Will it motivate positive performance? One of the key challenges managers have is effectively managing a remote and mobile workforce. Will KPIs that are measured and shared on mobile devices help?
Kevin’s Mobile Money News Weekly – December 1, 2010
Kevin’s Mobile Money News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.
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New forecasts from ABI Research indicate that in 2015 about 244 million people worldwide will carry out financial transactions using their mobile phones.
http://www.sys-con.com/node/1610685
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Google’s newest iteration of its Android phone OS will include a wallet that lets you use your phone to make payments by tapping it against a cash register.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/11/android-wallet
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New forecasts from ABI Research indicate that in 2015 about 244 million people worldwide will carry out financial transactions using their mobile phones.
http://www.sys-con.com/node/1610685
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Google’s newest iteration of its Android phone OS will include a wallet that lets you use your phone to make payments by tapping it against a cash register.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/11/android-wallet
Execution in Enterprise Mobility
This weekend I read an article written by Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, called Africa Needs Aid Not Flawed Theories in the November 27-28 edition of the Wall Street Journal. In it he criticizes author Matt Ridley’s ideas (found in the book The Rational Optimist) by saying, “He seems to think that innovation involves simply coming up with a new idea, when in fact the execution of the idea is critical.”
This got me thinking. If the execution of the idea is what is critical, how does this relate to enterprise mobility vendors?
I receive calls and emails from mobile start-ups weekly. Many are convinced they have a better mobile application, a better strategy and a better team. However, they have no money, only three people in the company, no brand recognition, and no global sales, delivery or support infrastructure. I usually ask a few additional questions to learn if there is anything at all that might hint at their ability to execute. Too often there is not.
I receive calls and emails from mobile start-ups weekly. Many are convinced they have a better mobile application, a better strategy and a better team. However, they have no money, only three people in the company, no brand recognition, and no global sales, delivery or support infrastructure. I usually ask a few additional questions to learn if there is anything at all that might hint at their ability to execute. Too often there is not.
The Evolutionary Phases of Enterprise Mobility
I believe that phase one of an enterprise mobility strategy is to recognize the need to mobilize enterprise solutions. Enterprise mobility is not a fad. It is strategic and mission critical. Mobile browsing is predicted to surpass all other forms of internet connectivity within the next year or two. I have seen reports that over 40 percent of the workforce is mobile. Giving them access to the right information, at the right time and at the right place to do their job is critical. Everyone has a smartphone these days. They are indepensable tools for the mobile workforce.
Phase two of your mobile strategy is to start mobilizing basic items like business process notifications, approvals and alerts. These simple mobile "instant value" applications are a good first step to mobilizing your workforce and showing immediate value. My mobile ESPN application sends me the scores of my favorite teams. This is an example of a simple notification solution. This phase helps your mobile workforce to ease into using their mobile devices for business purposes and ERP interactions. Study the results, understand the challenges and use this information to prepare for more complex mobile solutions.
Kevin's Mobile Retailing News Weekly - November 30, 2010
Kevin's Mobile Retailing News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile retailing applications and mobile marketing applications that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.
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As location-based services report impressive user growth and big brand partnerships, and major players like Facebook and Google enter the space, marketers are ramping up their location-based efforts for the holiday season.
http://mashable.com/2010/11/17/location-based-services-holidays/
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Bargain hunters can print out paper coupons or can go paperless. You can download mobile coupon apps to your smartphone and you'll be sent limited time offers at stores right near you. Just click on the coupon, show it to the cashier and ring up the savings.
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As location-based services report impressive user growth and big brand partnerships, and major players like Facebook and Google enter the space, marketers are ramping up their location-based efforts for the holiday season.
http://mashable.com/2010/11/17/location-based-services-holidays/
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Bargain hunters can print out paper coupons or can go paperless. You can download mobile coupon apps to your smartphone and you'll be sent limited time offers at stores right near you. Just click on the coupon, show it to the cashier and ring up the savings.
The True Value in Enterprise Mobility
Have you ever really thought about where the true value is in enterprise mobility? Is it replacing paper documents with electronic forms and data? Is it replacing manual processes with automated? Is it receiving more accurate data from the field? Is it all about speed and efficiencies? What is it? I think the answer is YES. It is all of the above, but there is much more.
Mobile and real-time communications - Just think about how you text friends and family today. In seconds you can learn where your friends and family members are and what they are doing. This is a relatively new development for humanity. We are compressing time by receiving more information at a faster pace that allows us to act on the information quicker.
I read recently that people no longer are asking for detailed location information when meeting people. They simply say, "I will call or text you when I am close. We can figure out where to meet at that time." This is the result of instant and real time communications.
Mobile and real-time communications - Just think about how you text friends and family today. In seconds you can learn where your friends and family members are and what they are doing. This is a relatively new development for humanity. We are compressing time by receiving more information at a faster pace that allows us to act on the information quicker.
I read recently that people no longer are asking for detailed location information when meeting people. They simply say, "I will call or text you when I am close. We can figure out where to meet at that time." This is the result of instant and real time communications.
What Happens When the Novelty of Enterprise Mobility Wears Off?
What happens when wireless connectivity and mobile applications are no longer a novelty? What will enterprise mobility companies talk about? Already SAP's acquisition of Sybase has made the discussion of MEAPs (mobile enterprise application platforms) passé. Enterprise mobility vendors will announce their support for leading MEAPs, much like announcing their support for various OSs, and the discussion will move on to more interesting topics.
What is the value that enterprise mobility vendors will bring to the market in 2011? I propose that the value will come in the following areas:
What is the value that enterprise mobility vendors will bring to the market in 2011? I propose that the value will come in the following areas:
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