The use of mobile IT devices carries significant risk for most organizations; but shutting the door on them and the potential benefits might be even riskier.
A recent survey suggests businesses that embrace mobility are more likely to experience benefits than those that are resistant to it. Symantec, which conducted the State of Mobility Survey, also offers guidelines to effective mobile implementation, which can help organisations to reduce risks.
‘Innovators’ (those businesses that actively embrace mobility) saw more costs than ‘traditional’ organisations (those that are resistant to mobility), according to the survey. These costs included lost devices and data breaches, which led to consequences including regulatory fines and lost revenue.
The innovators also experienced significant benefits, however – including higher revenue growth (44% compared to 30%), increased productivity, improvements in brand value, and happier employees. The report suggests that, overall, businesses perceive the results of mobility to be positive.
“The difference in attitudes and results between the organisations that actively embrace mobility and those that are reluctant is significant,” said Francis deSouza of Symantec. “Organisations taking a proactive approach benefit much more than those that put it off until they eventually find themselves trying to catch up to the competition.”
The report produced by Symantec offered the following guidelines to effective implementation:
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Being cautious about mobility is okay; being resistant is not. Start embracing it. Organisations should take a proactive approach and carefully plan an effective mobile implementation strategy
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Start with the apps with greatest productivity benefits for employees. One of the best ways to get started with mobility is to implement mobile apps that will have an immediate impact on the business
- Learn from the innovators – get the benefits while minimising the risks. The key is to be aware of the risks associated with mobility, such as information loss, and to follow the example of the innovators
The innovators’ policies involve more than simply purchasing phones. The benefits that they accrue often result from mobility policies – and from using technology to implement those policies.
