Making Sure It All Works, Anywhere, Anytime: The Challenges of Creating a Mobile Workforce

Organizations of all sizes want to boost the productivity of their on-the-go workforce through the implementation of a mobile strategy that provides real-time access to business-critical information. Consolidation is one of the keys to ensuring the success of these deployments, and they need to be coupled with an approach that is cost-effective and secure, leveraging existing IT investments and deploying only those mobile devices that are necessary.

The first step to creating a mobile workforce is to determine which employees will be truly mobile versus those who require an office space but also the ability to pick up and go, so that mobile devices are provisioned accordingly. The mobile strategy needs to be a coordinated effort across all divisions and departments, ensuring a cohesive, well managed approach that meets present and future needs. This includes developing a plan with specific objectives that also measures results, including productivity gains and return on investment.

Of primary concern in the creation of a mobile workforce is security. First and foremost, organizations need to have an identity management policy to govern how users are provisioned, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and control access to business-critical information regardless of where the employee is located. It is also recommended that organizations utilize devices with built-in security, such as end-to-end encryption, and consider the use of virtual private network (VPN) clients for all devices.

Another key challenge for organizations is to leverage their existing IT investments to maximize their budget, including the consideration of re-purposing or reengineering current or past initiatives. Companies can reduce administration support by implementing a technology that supports varying operating systems and devices. However, they should not rely on a single vendor as the key to their platform because there is no one vendor today that has the capability to “talk” to all of the different disparate enterprise applications, software and servers. As a best practice, it is recommended that the organization aggregate all of its systems into one delivery mechanism so that regardless of what edge device is used, real-time enterprise access is granted in a secure fashion. Web-enabling applications, utilizing a subscription-based or standards-based Web services platform, and consolidating devices will reduce administration and asset costs.

A best practice for organizations deploying customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for their mobile sales force is to determine which aspects of the CRM system are essential to enable these field employees to function while also providing the ability to supply management with the information they need. This streamlining allows for a reduction in the number of data points out to a mobile device and in the bandwidth necessary to complete an action or retrieve data, providing a quicker response time.

The future of mobile computing holds an increased ability to handle attachments, making data encryption and the protection of the devices themselves even more important. Generic device management software will allow for the removal of data from the device should it be lost or stolen. There will also be an outgrowth of cross-compatible security solutions for each type of device and encryption handled automatically through the enterprise server. Whatever the mobile strategy, organizations should seek a solution that leverages existing assets, reduces administration, complies with regulation and security standards, and provides the scalability to meet future needs.