Small to Medium Business Mobility
Business mobility has moved from “a nice feature” and seldomly used, to a requirement in today’s modern workplace. The ability for employees, management, and the executive team to transition seamlessly from the office to home and other remote locations is now critical to the viability of an organization. In this article I will explain three distinct phases in the journey of an organization to reach optimal mobility. I have segregated the roadmap into three phases; limited, improved, and optimal mobility. For an organization to navigate through these phases we would recommend that all the stakeholders involved understand the benefits, security, and risk of each technology used to achieve the mobility goals. It must be understood that mobility is vital to an organization but doesn’t operate in a vacuum and all the organizations policies and procedures must be updated to include these technologies.
Each phase will be listed with the technological requirements to achieve each phase. These phases are a tool an organization can use to determine the level of mobility in their company. There may be specific reasons why an organization has chosen not to enable a certain tool and those concerns should be considered. There may also be limitations of software used within the company. The limitations of these applications should be discussed during strategic and disaster planning.
Phase 1 Limited Mobility
Communications
• Users can remotely check voice mails
• Users can use their personal/company cell phones to contact customers using data from a data file or hard copy
• Access to email is limited to remoting into the work computer.
• Users can not interact with other users through the corporate phone system
• Users must rely on their home or public network for web connection.
File Access
• Access to shared company files is limited to copying them to a removable device or having them sent from the office
• Access to documents, desktop, or other user data from work computer is limited to a remote access to the machine. In some cases, the files may be emailed from someone in the office.
Devices
• Some users may take a laptop/desktop home but access to company data is not enabled.
• If a company is using a local domain, this may not be possible
Software
• Access to the company systems such as CRM, Business Management, and Accounting systems are limited to users remoting into on-premise devices
Phase 2 Improved Mobility
Communications
• Users can have calls forwarded to their personal/company cell phones
• Users can contact customers using data from a web application or cloud stored data file
• E-mail can be accessed over the internet
• Users can not interact with other users through the corporate phone system.
• Users must rely on their home or public wifi for web connection.
File Access
• Access to company shared files is enabled through a browser or other web enabled syncing mechanism
• Access to documents, desktop, or other user data from work computer is limited to a remote access to the machine. In some cases, the files may be accessed by an on-premise employee copying them to a company shared location.
Devices
• Some users may take their devices home but would be limited if the company is using a non-web synced domain.
• Users can use their home devices to access shared company data and email.
Software
• Some of the applications used in the company are available via the internet but some are only accessible when remoting into an on-premise device.
Phase 3 Optimal Mobility
Communications
• Users can use either an app on their cell phone or take their desk phone home and operate the device with all features available when on-premise.
• Users can contact customers using the company contact file or using a web-based CRM
• Users can access email via a browser or an allowed email client (ex. Outlook)
• Users can communicate using the corporate phone system with little to no difference than when using on-premise.
• Any user that works on the road consistently is provided with the capability to tether their cell phone or a device with mobile data is provided.
File Access
• Access to company shared files is enabled through a browser or other web enabled syncing mechanism
• Access to all user data such as desktop, documents, etc. is available through a browser or automatically synced to a device for home access.
Device
• Users can take their devices home and have a similar, if not identical experience to when they are working in the office.
• Users can also access e-mail and company data using a web browser on a home device.
Software
• All applications used by the company can be accessed from outside the office.
Understanding where your organization’s mobility limitations are should be discussed when discussing disaster and strategic planning. Mitigation of these shortfalls should be implemented in order to keep the business running in the face of a broad spectrum of risks.
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