I have been invited to participate in an upcoming webinar on Mobilizing SAP's CRM. The details can be found on SAP's EcoHub website, and it is scheduled for April 27 at 1:00 PM EDST. The topics will include:
• Position CRM in your company.
• How to avoid adoption issues.
• Ways of implementing to maximize efficiency.
• Simplifying for mobile access.
• How to deploy SAP’s CRM across any mobile device.
Mobilizing SAP CRM is one of the highest priorities for SAP CRM customers. In a recent interview that I did with EntryPoint's founder Pete Martin, he said that 100% of his net new SAP CRM sales prospects are now requiring a mobile extension to CRM. This motivated him to partner with SAP's partner Sky Technologies to provide mobile SAP CRM solutions. Anything that can be credited with helping a sales force sell more product is very interesting to a company. Making the sales force more efficient, productive and effective is the goal of all companies.
***************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
The Confession of an Enterprise Mobility Guy
Yesterday, because it was spring weather in Boise, Idaho, I put on a light weight jacket with only one secure interior pocket. This forced me to choose between putting my wallet or my iPhone in it. I chose the iPhone. I then proceeded to a store where I sat in a number of different chairs. When I returned home my wallet was predictably missing.
As I pondered my earlier choices, I wondered what made me choose my iPhone over my wallet. What decision would you have made? My iPhone is a portal into both my personal and professional life. My wallet is simply a container.
I read in the Wall Street Journal today an article by Katherine Boehret called "A Leash on Mobile Devices that Like to Wander." It lists two different devices that sound an alarm if you walk too far away from your mobile device. The problem is these device manufacturers assume you will lose your iPhone rather than your wallet.
I must confess that replacing my wallet now days seems easier than replacing my iPhone. Someday soon they will be one and the same, and having just one secure pocket in my jacket will suffice.
***************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
As I pondered my earlier choices, I wondered what made me choose my iPhone over my wallet. What decision would you have made? My iPhone is a portal into both my personal and professional life. My wallet is simply a container.
I read in the Wall Street Journal today an article by Katherine Boehret called "A Leash on Mobile Devices that Like to Wander." It lists two different devices that sound an alarm if you walk too far away from your mobile device. The problem is these device manufacturers assume you will lose your iPhone rather than your wallet.
I must confess that replacing my wallet now days seems easier than replacing my iPhone. Someday soon they will be one and the same, and having just one secure pocket in my jacket will suffice.
***************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
SAP CRM Partner EntryPoint Consulting Looks to Mobility for Growth
I read with interest today a press release about SAP partner EntryPoint Consulting. I know them, and they are a long term SAP consulting and channel partner that is involved in the CRM side of SAP. They were involved in some of the earliest implementations of mobile SAP CRM several years back and experienced a lot of first mover pain as a result. I know they have been watching the SAP mobility evolution with keen interest for several years.
From today's press release it looks like Pete Martin, managing partner at EntryPoint has decided it is time to get serious about SAP mobility again, and he partnered with SAP mobility partner Sky Technologies to deliver mobile SAP CRM capabilities. I spoke to him several months back, and he said 100% of his SAP CRM sales opportunities this year were asking about mobile device support so he was very interested in the SAP mobility ecosystem.
Here is a quote from today's press release, "We were convinced that we ‘chose right’ when some of the most sophisticated SAP customers, such as Colgate, chose Sky as their preferred mobile platform..." Martin goes on to say, "By combining our CRM consulting expertise with Sky’s leading platform, we now have the ability to offer companies a comprehensive set of CRM consulting in the marketing, sales and service functional areas. In short, we can offer them ‘SAP CRM in the palm of their hand.”
SkyMobile provides a single integrated framework that is used to mobilize and manage SAP applications on all major mobile platforms including Windows, BlackBerry, Android, Symbian, and iPhone.
I would like to hear more about what Colgate is doing in the SAP mobility space with Sky. I know that Colgate is often in the forefront of new technologies and trends. Perhaps, someone from Colgate will share?
*************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
From today's press release it looks like Pete Martin, managing partner at EntryPoint has decided it is time to get serious about SAP mobility again, and he partnered with SAP mobility partner Sky Technologies to deliver mobile SAP CRM capabilities. I spoke to him several months back, and he said 100% of his SAP CRM sales opportunities this year were asking about mobile device support so he was very interested in the SAP mobility ecosystem.
Here is a quote from today's press release, "We were convinced that we ‘chose right’ when some of the most sophisticated SAP customers, such as Colgate, chose Sky as their preferred mobile platform..." Martin goes on to say, "By combining our CRM consulting expertise with Sky’s leading platform, we now have the ability to offer companies a comprehensive set of CRM consulting in the marketing, sales and service functional areas. In short, we can offer them ‘SAP CRM in the palm of their hand.”
SkyMobile provides a single integrated framework that is used to mobilize and manage SAP applications on all major mobile platforms including Windows, BlackBerry, Android, Symbian, and iPhone.
I would like to hear more about what Colgate is doing in the SAP mobility space with Sky. I know that Colgate is often in the forefront of new technologies and trends. Perhaps, someone from Colgate will share?
*************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
Monetizing Mobile Applications in the SAP Ecosystem
SAP is trying to figure out the best way to monetize enterprise mobile applications and B2C mobile applications. These are complex issues. Extending the functionality of SAP to mobile users is a key goal for SAP. They want to enable many, many more users to benefit from SAP. The mobile workforce and consumers are both areas where SAP can extend value, but how do they charge for it?
I have had conversations this month with several SAP ecosystem veterans about this topic. They remembered conversations several years ago when SAP was quoting full PULs (platform user licenses) for each mobile user. That did not go over well. They have since revised that number down, down, down, but now you have mobile micro-applications that just expose little segments of value to users. How is this going to be monetized by SAP. There is value for micro-applications vendors and end users for using SAP functionality on an iPhone, but how should it be priced? How can it be monitored?
SAP's goals are also to extend SAP functionality to consumers' smart phones in a B2C model. An example would be an iPhone enabled catalog that is hosted on SAP. It may include inventory updates, shopping carts/order entry, shipment tracking, etc. How does SAP monetize consumer applications that are developed by mobile application vendors?
I would like to hear your thoughts, as this is an issue that is being worked through now.
*************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
I have had conversations this month with several SAP ecosystem veterans about this topic. They remembered conversations several years ago when SAP was quoting full PULs (platform user licenses) for each mobile user. That did not go over well. They have since revised that number down, down, down, but now you have mobile micro-applications that just expose little segments of value to users. How is this going to be monetized by SAP. There is value for micro-applications vendors and end users for using SAP functionality on an iPhone, but how should it be priced? How can it be monitored?
SAP's goals are also to extend SAP functionality to consumers' smart phones in a B2C model. An example would be an iPhone enabled catalog that is hosted on SAP. It may include inventory updates, shopping carts/order entry, shipment tracking, etc. How does SAP monetize consumer applications that are developed by mobile application vendors?
I would like to hear your thoughts, as this is an issue that is being worked through now.
*************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
Mobile Micro-Applications vs Thick Mobile Clients
As I have shared before, my background was in the MEAP (mobile enterprise application platform) world. We used different acronyms, some not repeatable in this family friendly blog, but it was the same thing as today's MEAPs. I have managed development projects where the mobile applications we delivered could be considered a full ERP in many places. It was painful and expensive, but it worked. Our customers had hundreds of route sales, service technicians, and delivery folks walking around carrying full functional ERPs on their ruggedized mobile handheld computers.
The application I am referring to above consisted of the following:
Our customer wanted a thick mobile client application that could work in a connected and disconnected mode so that their employees could work whether there was connectivity with the internet or not. Three years ago there were not a lot of options. As a result there were a lot of thick mobile clients delivered.
With this particulary mobile application, the training requirements were huge. The mobile workforce needed to understand every aspect of their mobile ERP before it could be effectively used. You can image the level of IT support for the first six months.
It will be interesting to see how thick clients and MEAPs evolve. There are some very active debates on the SAP Enterprise Mobility group on LinkedIn on this subject.
Where do MEAPs stop and mobile micro-applications start? If I were to develop that same mobile application today, would I use nine mobile micro-applications rather than try to build all of the features and functionality into one giant mobile application? Good question!
SAP's partners are on both sides of this question. SAP partners like Vivido Labs and Leapfactor focus mostly on mobile micro-applications. Sybase and Syclo focus mostly on thick mobile clients, while Sky Technologies seems to be hedging their bets with both thick mobile clients and mobile micro-apps.
It will be an interesting evolution to watch!
***************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
The application I am referring to above consisted of the following:
- Mobile sales force automation application
- Mobile order entry application
- Mobile invoicing
- Mobile proof-of-delivery application
- Mobile work order management application
- Mobile inventory management system
- Mobile price and promotion management application
- Mobile enterprise asset management application
- Mobile CRM to access customer service and support issues
Our customer wanted a thick mobile client application that could work in a connected and disconnected mode so that their employees could work whether there was connectivity with the internet or not. Three years ago there were not a lot of options. As a result there were a lot of thick mobile clients delivered.
With this particulary mobile application, the training requirements were huge. The mobile workforce needed to understand every aspect of their mobile ERP before it could be effectively used. You can image the level of IT support for the first six months.
It will be interesting to see how thick clients and MEAPs evolve. There are some very active debates on the SAP Enterprise Mobility group on LinkedIn on this subject.
Where do MEAPs stop and mobile micro-applications start? If I were to develop that same mobile application today, would I use nine mobile micro-applications rather than try to build all of the features and functionality into one giant mobile application? Good question!
SAP's partners are on both sides of this question. SAP partners like Vivido Labs and Leapfactor focus mostly on mobile micro-applications. Sybase and Syclo focus mostly on thick mobile clients, while Sky Technologies seems to be hedging their bets with both thick mobile clients and mobile micro-apps.
It will be an interesting evolution to watch!
***************************************************
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
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