AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Kris Oldland

Cyber-security has returned to national front pages again this last year. Heartbleed & CyberVor have become common terms whilst high profile breaches of the likes of major digital retailers Ebay and Apple have raised very big questions around security in the digital age.

What does this mean for field service companies who not only hold vast amounts of customer data, making them prime targets for hackers, but are also moving their mobile workforces swiftly to a digital environment where they can reap the rewards of better productivity.

As news broke of the World’s largest ever data theft conducted by the Russian cyber crime group dubbed CyberVor we once again turned our attention to the question are our companies safe from cybercrime?

All businesses with a digital presence waited with baited breath to learn if their users were affected by this reported attack. In some quarters people denied that an attack of this magnitude was even possible and questioned the validity of the claims, others saw it as a defining moment demarcating the size of risk we all face today.

“It’s a nasty reminder of the cyber risk threat which organisations face in 2014 and the need for boards to be prepared for attacks such as this.” Commented James Mullock, Partner at law firm Osborne Clarke.

Daniel Hedley, solicitor and technology specialist at Thomas Eggar LLP agrees adding “From a business perspective, the key issue here is simply this:  Who has your data?  How much do you trust them to keep it safe?  Businesses can face significant legal and reputational risks when they lose data, both under data protection legislation and under contractual confidentiality obligations such as NDAs.  It’s therefore very important for businesses to know where their data is.”

Of course perhaps the highest profile security breach in recent months is the failure of Apple’s iCloud, which even left a dark shadow over the launch of the latest iPhone.

Robert Rutherford, CEO of IT consultancy QuoStar commented: “The theft of personal photos from celebrity accounts has focussed the spotlight on the company’s approach to security, and has raised concerns”

“The problem is that whilst dispensing token security improvements with one hand, Apple has denied any responsibility for the breach with the other. The resulting image is one of a company that deliberately avoids transparency around its security practices and glosses over its mistakes.” Rutherford continued.

But whilst leaked photographs of naked celebrities doesn’t install confidence, Apple’s iCloud is a consumer based storage so how does this impact the business community?

As Hedley explains "While it is true that businesses will not generally choose a consumer-focused cloud service such as iCloud, in this age of staff using their own devices for both work and personal use, it is very easy for confidential business data to end up being uploaded to these services, without the IT department or senior management finding out about it until it’s too late.  iCloud in particular can be problematic in this area because Apple’s devices will often back up everything on the device to iCloud by default.

 

“From a hacker's point of view a failure of iCloud brings richer pickings. There would be a lot of work involved in hacking into many individual machines whereas a security hole in iCloud would mean that millions of pieces of information would become available at once.” Professor Mike Jackson from Birmingham City University stated.

“Whenever you place information on a computer, that information becomes less secure. If you connect a computer to the Internet then the security risk grows. If you store information on a cloud service then you rely completely on security measures of the service provider. Once on the cloud it it¹s these security measures which make the difference between privacy and the whole world being able to access your documents and pictures.”

Unregulated BYOD is an issue being faced by IT professionals the world over. As Matt Newing CEO of unified communications provider, Elite states “IT teams worry about losing control of IT, as employees all over the business connect personal devices to the company network, download software and applications and turn to cloud services”

Hedley added “Businesses can control these risks, while still maintaining many of the benefits of cloud storage services and BYOD, by deploying a combination of technical measures preventing unauthorised uploading of business data (using technologies such as MobileIron) and user education.”

Recent research from Samsung found that 47 per cent of UK companies had a work handset lost or stolen in the last 12 months. Almost a third (30 per cent) of CTOs were however unaware of the number. Alongside this, a global survey of CIOs by leading analyst Gartner found that as many of 38 per cent of companies plan to stop providing their workforce with devices at all by 2016.

“Laptops, mobiles and tablets can cost many hundreds of pounds per year for each employee, so BYOD has become very attractive. However, far from enjoying flexibility and lower costs, companies that rush into BYOD without a strong policy face considerable risks,” said Hardeep Singh Garewal, President – European Operations, ITC Infotech.

“For unprepared companies, a lost or stolen device represents a catastrophic security risk, with the potential cost to their business far outweighing the savings. There are many solutions available, but we see many companies failing to implement a clear policy on keeping track of work devices. This hinders them from acting quickly to prevent breaches,” adds Garewal.

However, the new movement towards Choose Your Own Device (CYOD) offers an alternative solution that addresses both security and personal data concerns. This approach ensures that full ownership of the device is retained by the company, removing uncertainty in safeguarding information on the device, yet still providing user freedom.

Garewal concludes: “While CYOD means the company must ultimately foot the bill for the device overhead and support, the level of control and assured visibility vastly simplifies issues around privacy and security. However, whether they use BYOD or CYOD, companies encouraging flexible working must ensure they are prepared to deal with imminent risks, or spend all of their time fire-fighting to avoid major crises.”

If we are to select the right mobile device we must look at both the environment and the application to make the intelligent decision argues Xplore Technologies Sandy McCaskie

All too often the deployment of rugged technology is borne of a quick analysis of the environment where the work will be carried out.  Working in a safe, plush office full of suits?  Use a consumer device.  Out in the field recovering a breakdown or on the tarmac at the airport?  Grab a rugged tablet such as Xplore Technology’s Bobcat.  But this thinking is dangerously flawed – a throwback to the mindset that technology exists separately from the business it serves.

The deployment of rugged technology such as tablet PCs is – if done correctly – almost regardless of the environment.  Instead, such a deployment should be based upon the level of the “business-critical” nature of the process performed and how vital the technology is to the completion of that process.

If you can honestly get by without a tablet or PC in a given process, a consumer unit is ideal, subject to issues such as the compatibility of the operating system.  When the unit breaks, the process simply slows down, but still carries on whilst a replacement is found. The relatively low cost of a single consumer unit, ubiquitous Wi-Fi and easily downloaded apps make this an attractive short-term option, though for the recovery market, the likelihood of damage means that these replacements will soon start to add a substantial cost.

 

Studies show that a consumer tablet used in the field is four times a likely to break as a rugged unit and the resulting loss of productivity can be hours.[/quote] At any sort of scale, or if the process is dependent on the technology but there are alternatives available, the semi-rugged or “robust” category may be a more cost-effective option. This is often the case in controlled environments outside of an office - home visits in the field would be a great example.  Why go to this extra expense?  Because studies show that a consumer tablet used in the field is four times a likely to break as a rugged unit and the resulting loss of productivity can be hours.

 

This consideration of “task first, location second” progresses through the levels of ruggedness based on if a given job/process can be completed without the tablet.  As an example, a recovery engineer in the field cannot complete a job without access to technical data, compliance forms or a proprietary workflow application – all of which require processing power of a PC.   This necessitates a tablet that works every time in any environment - hence a level of full ruggedisation.

However this approach can exist independently of the environment that demands a comprehensive set of IP, drop test and MIL ratings.  Yes, hardware must perform in the right environment but ruggedisation is simply a way to enable reliability and that concern of reliability is not the exclusive province of rugged environments.

A manager based in an office but with processes that are critical to the ongoing operation of the business, for example, communicating and sharing data with a small team of field engineers that are the only contact directly with customers, still needs to assess ruggedised options in order to guarantee that workflow.

Of course, usability beats reliability when it comes to technology.  Hence design that accounts for IP ratings and MIL testing must still also cover basic points such as weight, ease of input and the versatility that comes from connectivity options.

In many applications of real world tablet deployments, the challenges of some environments are enough to drive the desired technology toward a ruggedised tablet that can withstand far more than the person using it.

But an intelligent approach to ruggedisation must be grounded in the task at hand, in addition to the place it has to take place, even when that place could be anywhere.

 

The team at service management specialist software provider Tesseract are in for a busy October as they take to the road to showcase their software on both sides of the Atlantic this October.

If you’re in the US you can find them at the MD Expo – Orlando. This event showcases the very latest products and technology in the medical equipment industry.

With a solid reputation for attracting a senior audience, the show runs from the 1st - 3rd October 2014 at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida.

Tesseract, who were the first company to ever develop a cloud based service management solution will be showcasing the latest iteration of their software, Service Centre 5 to the events delegates, having established themselves as a leading player in this sector by working with companies such as Toshiba Medical for many years.

Back in the UK the Tesseract team will also be attending another important event within the medical sector the Healthcare Estates Conference, Exhibition & Dinner which runs from the 7th - 8th October 2014 at Manchester Central Convention Complex.

This is a unique event that brings together the highly prestigious IHEEM Annual Conference, Awards Dinner as well as the UK’s largest trade exhibition for the sector, for which of course enterprise mobility solutions can mean not just impacts on companies bottom line, but can be the difference between life and death itself.

Finally the team will be attending the Ceda Catering Equipment Technical Conference 8th October 2014, Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry, Northants.
This year’s conference will include headline speakers and interactive workshops and will be of great interest to both the general management and the service management of both distributors and suppliers to the catering industry.

 

Our exclusive series looking at Change Management written by Field Service News Editor Kris Oldland continues as we look at engaging with individuals on the emotional level to help reduce their fear of change... 

There is also a corresponding white paper on this subject, which you can access by clicking this link and completing the brief registration form.

In part one of this series we looked at understanding what is change management and what steps should be taken to achieve a successful change management process, referring to the 5 step approach taken by Sharon Moura when global safety and security firm Tycho implemented ServiceMax’s field service management platform.

Part two looked at the first of these steps i.e. assessing the change. Now in part three of this exclusive series we look at the second of these steps, which Moura defines as “Engaging the head and the heart”

As we mentioned in the opening feature of this series the key to implementing a successful Change Management project lies in understanding the simple maxim that Change Management is all about people and managing individual responses to change.

For a change management program to be successful it is absolutely vital we acknowledge that change is about individuals, not organisations. Yes, the change will be driven by organisational needs and requirements, but individuals will implement it, individuals will determine its success.

Given this notion we must next consider how individuals will react to change. Successful change management is as much about feeling as it is about thinking. This is one of the key principals in the Kotter Change Management philosophy and is one that Moura also believes is an important step.

 

“People change when they see a truth that influences their feelings, a picture of the opportunities ahead, that can connect to the head and the heart” Moura explained in a recent webinar hosted by ServiceMax.

“It’s less about what they read, it’s less about analysis. That informs their thinking but it doesn’t inform their feelings” So how can we tap into each individual’s feelings, to help them take the emotional leap of faith that change requires? (Remember our natural instinct is usually to shy way from change as it is often feels like the less riskier option).

Well at least some if not all of Robert Cialdini’s six principals of influence are worth considering. In his famous best selling book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Cialdini identified 6 principals that can be used to influence the decision making process of others. Each of which tap into emotional responses, rather than intellectual responses.

These principals are:

Reciprocity:

In layman’s terms the desire to pay back a favour. Let’s take an example here. A field service company decides that they need to roll out new mobile devices to their field engineers.

By involving a group of field engineers in the selection process on which devices the company will purchase, the company is showing these engineers that they are valued members of the team, that both they and their opinions are respected.

The engineers will likely feel a sense of gratification that the company sees them as such and in return for this show of respect, they will almost certainly reciprocate, becoming champions of the new technology amongst their peers when it is rolled out.

Commitment and consistency:

Cialdini believes we all have a deep desire to be consistent. So how does this sit with change when surely change is the antithesis of consistency? Well this doesn’t necessarily need to be the case.

In fact the reason for change is often likely to be to uphold a core consistency of your organisation. For example – “our company has prided itself on being the market leader for over 25 years, and to help us continue to be the leading organisation in our sector we will be implementing a new system that will enable us to be more efficient in how we deliver and manage our field service operations”

Whilst effective change management will result in new cultures and processes being established, holding onto core company values isn’t mutually exclusive and this can be a powerful tool in negating the perception of change.

Social Proof:

Perhaps one of the most widely known of Cialdini’s principals, largely because it is the most evident in our day to day lives, is social proof. If we see others enjoying the benefit of change, it will make our decision to buy-in to the change so much easier on an emotional level.

Our natural herd mentality of ‘if it’s OK for them I guess it’s OK for me’ kicks in.

Remember that group of field engineers who are reciprocating the company’s faith in them by championing the change…

Liking:

The next of Cialdini’s principals is again one that we all inherently know. We do things for and agree with people we like more than we do for people we don’t like. While it’s not the most ground-breaking statement in the world, it is undeniably true.

What is perhaps less obvious but still inherently true is that as a rule of thumb we tend to like people who are like us. Our peers are important influencers on us. Oh there’s that group of peer led champions again…

Authority:

Cialdini asserts that we feel a sense of obligation to people in positions of authority. So we should bring the top bosses into the equation? But doesn’t that contradict points 3 and 4?

Well yes it does if we look at authority in the traditional manner. However, what is authority? More to the point who can speak with authority – continuing our example, perhaps someone who understands both the requirements and processes of the field engineers and someone who has already had actual hands on experience with the new devices?

Authority comes in many guises and our group of peer-based champions are on the horizon once more.

Scarcity:

This final principal is perhaps the least likely to be incorporated into a traditional change management program as of course the end goal is to minimise the period of change as effectively and quickly as possible.

However, perhaps in the initial wave of roll out it could be good to promote the benefits so those that aren’t part of wave one are eagerly anticipating when they can be upgraded?

What we do see from the above example is that having a group of field engineers within the intial decision making process led to opportunities to meet at least five of Cialdini’s six principals. This group became champions for the Change Management program and what Moura refers to as a Change Agent Network something we will explore in the next feature in this series.

However, before we get to that point, lets explore just a little further how we can effectively engage with this group on the individual level, in both the head and the heart.

 In Moura’s own words:

“Think about using story telling as a way to engage the head and the heart, producing report after report or communication after communication will not help here at all.” [quote float="right"]Producing report after report or communication after communication will not help here at all.

“Individual conversations are effective, small group conversations are effective and you should be topping and tailing all communications with  - why is this changing and what is in it for me”

 

And it is in this last sentence that we find perhaps the ultimate persuasive tool i.e. “What’s in it for me” If we can understand the pain points of our employees, whether it be field based or office based staff, if we can show them a picture of how this Change Management program will help them eliminate these problems in their daily lives, if we can show them that this change is as much about investing in them and making their lives easier as it is about increasing efficiency etc, then they are almost certainly going to be feel more open to the change.

If we get there, then we are on the right track for getting the emotional buy-in we need from these individuals to make this whole change management project a success.

Download the white paper that accompanies this series

This series is sponsored by:

Part Three of an exclusive Field Service News interview with Dave Gordon, Rolls Royce.

Here Dave speaks about how he measured the value of service, explains what he defines as disruption based availability (or project zero to give it its cooler sounding name) and how he uses greater understanding of his customers to motivate his own team at Rolls Royce.

Missed part one of this excellent series? Find it here

Missed part two of this excellent series? Find it here

Want to see more? Subscribe to Field Service News by clicking this link and get access to download the full video in full.

 

Ford Motor Company and Telogis launched "Ford Telematics powered by Telogis" yesterday, providing actionable information from Ford commercial vehicles that helps customers reduce fuel costs up to 20 percent^*, reduce their environmental impact and increase driver safety.

Since 2011, Telogis has been the exclusive technology provider to power Ford Crew Chief in North America, the industry’s most comprehensive and scalable telematics solution for commercial customers. The European expansion of the Telogis-Ford partnership leverages the success of Crew Chief and will meet the demand from current and new Ford customers for visibility into day-to-day operations including vehicle/driver location, vehicle and driver performance and exclusive Ford vehicle diagnostics.

“Ford of Europe is delivering on customer demand for visibility, cost savings and safety with Ford Telematics powered by Telogis,” said Bill Frykman, manager, business and product development at Ford Motor Company. “Telogis is our trusted partner, and the success we’ve had with Ford customers in North America made them the only choice for Ford’s European platform offering.”

Making its debut at the 2014 IAA Hannover Commercial Vehicle Show, Ford Telematics powered by Telogis will be available to fleet customers as a dealer-installed option in selected European markets, offered through Ford’s network of specialist Transit Centers, and is warrantied and serviceable at Ford dealerships throughout Europe.

“The launch of Ford Telematics powered by Telogis in Europe is an extension of what has become the industry-standard in OEM telematics in North America,” said Greg Dziewit, vice president, OEM business at Telogis. “Making this offering available to Ford’s European customers will help them run more efficient, cost-effective and safer fleets and transform the way they do business.”

Based on the real-time data, the Ford Telematics powered by Telogis software platform delivers a comprehensive range of actionable business information that enables fleet managers to operate their vehicles in the most efficient way and to help ensure drivers are following safe and economical driving practices.

“Ford Telematics is another example of Ford facilitating the delivery of smart technology to help our customers enjoy the highest quality, safest and most sustainable operation of commercial vehicles available today,” said Steve Barrow, commercial vehicles service operations manager, Ford of Europe.

Demonstrations and more information about the Ford Telematics powered by Telogis offering can be by visiting the Ford stand, Hall 13, No. C54 at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show which opens later this week in Hannover, Germany.

 

Xplore Technologies Corp manufacturer of ultra and fully-rugged tablets, announced earlier this month that they have received an additional order for approximately 1,500 RangerX Pro fully-rugged Android tablets that will be used by a major U.S. telecommunications provider’s field technicians in its construction division.

“We believe that the RangerX Pro fully-rugged Android tablet is the best Android solution in the market today. It is the perfect solution for our customers’ technicians in the field” said Mark Holleran, president and chief operating officer for Xplore Technologies. “This order is a follow on order from an existing telecommunication’s customer and we are pleased to see this key relationship expanding.”

The telecommunications provider selected the fully-rugged RangerX Pro because it increases mobility for its field technicians with battery life of up to 10 hours to maximize time in the field, boosting productivity.

“This order reaffirms Xplore’s decision to expand its product line of ultra-rugged tablets to include fully-rugged products,” said Philip S. Sassower, chairman and chief executive officer for Xplore Technologies. “The RangerX Pro was chosen for its fully-rugged IP65 rating, and at 2.2 pounds field service workers have a versatile device built with Xplore’s proven rugged performance.”

The thin and light RangerX Pro, purchased by the telecommunications company, has optional integrated HDMI-In and Gigabit Ethernet ports enabling the technicians to replace multiple devices previously required to perform daily tasks.

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by: Advanced Field Solutions
Title:  Which Solution is right for your business: End-to-end or best-of-breed
About: As part of our series exploring end to end field service we are pleased to be able to offer you this excellent white paper published by Advanced Field Service that questions whether an end to end service management solution or best-of –breed solution is the right move for your company.
Download: Download the white paper by clicking here

Overview: As the tough economic environment of recent years starts to recede and a measure of confidence returns to the industry, service organisations are increasingly looking to invest in systems that can help them to make the most of the upturn. Replacing your current service management system is never a decision to be undertaken lightly. However, whether you already have a software solution for service in place or have depended heavily on manual processes such as spreadsheets, making the transition to a more powerful, up-to-date solution with modern functionality such as mobile capabilities can impact your whole service process…for the better. Among the potential benefits to be realised with today’s technology are:

• Full traceability of every job and status change – from job creation through to completion

• Instant access to account information from any location – including order, call, equipment and site history

• Engineers arrive at a job equipped with the right documentation, parts and site history, aware of any customer issues

• Engineers can record time sheets and expenses, download technical documents and equipment lists, and securely capture photos and signatures on-site

• Efficiency increases as engineers can remotely view planned work and close jobs on site, send proactive alerts and deliver automatic status updates to the back office

• Control of stock is improved, with full visibility of parts availability and automatically re-orders

• You deliver great customer service as you offer specific appointment times, bill the customer promptly, maintain a full audit trail and complete work quickly and efficiently

In short, you’ll increase the likelihood of a first-time fix, with improved customer satisfaction while reducing your costs. It’s an attractive prospect. This whitepaper looks at some of the options available to field service organisations as they review the market. It also offers some guidance on selecting your new technology, and outlines a suggested eight-point process.

These eight points are prioritise, requirements, expertise, create a shortlist, integration, planning, support and supplier stability are all discussed in further detail in the white paper.

Welcome to our live coverage of the fantastic Mobility of Things Event, hosted here in the fantastic venue The Brewery sat right between London's City district and Silicon Roundabout. Throughout the day we will be updating this blog live so be sure to keep coming back to get all of the latest insight from what is promising to be an excellent day focussing on Enterprise Mobility.

7:44 AM: 

Everything is all set now for the event and I have to say the team at McDonald Butler have done a superb job in terms of both selecting this fantastic venue and getting everything set for the off. Looks like its going to be an excellent day. Be sure to keep coming back to us throughout the day as we keep you updated on the superb agenda which you can check out here 

8:45 AM:

Just waiting for things to get started now with the main conference room filling up nicely.

9:00 AM:

Some early forced networking from done very well by our host and a very slick app for audience interaction well demonstrated. Now up is John Delaney IDC...

9:50 AM Overview of The Critical Path to Enterprise Mobility Maturity – How Ready is Your Organisation?

The first speaker of the day John Delaney, Associate Vice President, European Mobility at IDC opened up his presentation stating that he believes we are in the early stages of enterprise mobility. "We are now starting to see companies stepping into the front foot in terms of enterprise mobility." he explains.

Next Delaney takes us through the what he sees as the key indicators that enterprise is starting to take a more mature approach towards mobility. A serious approach to mobile app development is one of the biggest of these.

Delaney outlines the fact that the enterprises have mostly been dealing with enterprise mobility are focussing on 'consumersiation' This is a huge sea change from last big shift in enterprise computing that we saw in the 80's where enterprise drove technology we eventually adopted in our personal lives.

Today consumers have adopted smart phones and apps into their personal lives first. Now they can see how useful these are in their working lives and want this translated into their working lives. However, there are of course clashes between security and personal technology.

Delaney defines this phase as Mobility 1.0 which is all about getting the balance between corporate security and the devices we are used to in personal lives.

i.e. Manage the cost of buying & using mobile devices. Keep pace with device development. Manage fragmented mobile OS environment. Manage device capabilities such as GPS . Protect the devices from loss, theft and damage. Protect corporate content from loss theft & unauthorised sharing, control manage corporate usage of personal devices.

Delaney next moves on to Mobility 2.0. He defines this as moving from current trend consumerisation (mobile 1.0) to mobile becoming the primary platform. He explains that in Mobile 2.0 Mobile must become part of the fundamental enterprise IT structure. It is key that IT understands the need to start driving mobile not just treating it as a side job. The shift to a Mobile 2.0 phase is characterised by a shift in thinking Delaney continues. "We need to look away from risk and towards benefits."

Delaney then moved on to highlight that in mobility 2.0 the shift is away from devices and more with applications. The simple reason for this he explains is that in mobility 2.0 companies begin to think of competitive advantage - which is app driven not device driven.

Delaney then moved on to approach and process.

Companies moving to Mobile2.0 will begin to think of a lifecycle approach to mobility - how to bring in mobile applications into the same process as traditional IT. Interesting point around app wrapping and security where apps can only be accessed via VPN for example are becoming increasingly common solution to security concerns.

One of the major driving enablers of enterprise mobility is 4G. Delaney explains 4G widens the scope of application mobility. Mobile devices can now be utilised like a desktop application, with higher speeds, lower latency, higher capacity, and it is a global standard. This means things that you would only do on a mobile device with a 3G network if it was absolutely essential, are now commonly done on a mobile device on a 4G network. This move is driving enterprise mobility in that the mobile device is becoming the number one means of interacting with IT systems.

An interesting point Delaney makes is that Mobile investment plans are shifting from device management to application development. IDC research shows that Western European governments are looking to spend far more on applications than device management. Of these Office Apps and file sharing/collaboration top the charts in terms of apps companies are intending to being develop. Interestingly 34% of companies of companies plan to deploy some components of mobile conferencing.

10:48 AM Overview Business In Motion – Transform Your Organisation Into A Profitable Mobile Enterprise

Second speaker today is Piero A. Chiodo, Director, Mobility Services Center of Competency IBM Global Technology Services.

Chiodo picked up very much where Delaney left off basing his presentation around three waves of enterprise mobility. However he first of all gave us a fantastic fact in that there are more smartphones than toothbrushes in the world! Chiodo also outlined that mobile data traffic predicted to be 11.2 exabyte by 2017 an incredible amount.

Chiodo then outlined two major areas of mobility as defined by an IBM survey of 600 customers. First of all enhancing customer experience. Secondly improving employee productivity. It is the second of these that Chiodo is primarily focussing on today.

Chiodo outlined that the same research outlined for key aims for best-in-class companies utilising mobile.

These were: Transfrom the way they do business, engage their customers, build apps that unlock core business knowledge, and finally protect and securely manage devices.

Chiodo then began to look at what he defined as three waves of mobility ranging from enterprise mobility to mobile enterprise. Echoing Delaney's earlier presentation Chiodo also asserted that the move from wave one to wave three required rethinking enterprise mobility.

 

Looking at each wave in turn Chiodo outlined Wave 1 as Enterprise mobility. This he defined as risk and cost avoidance when focussing on Mobile. The companies in this space have been looking primarily at mobile device management MDM, and how to secure the devices and keep them connected.

Chiodo next outlined some further insight form IBM research which followed one specific client implementation of BYOD program which showed a reduced cost of mobility infrastructure by $5.5M.

Turning to Wave two. Chiodo defined this wave as that of Optimisation and productivity. Companies that currently sit in this wave are looking to improve productivity, optimise efficiency, increase collaboration , and manage expenses. The mobile solutions for this area are more of a managed mobility approach, something much more complex then the simpler MDM we saw in wave one.

Chiodo also explained that here we also start seeing application stores within your infrastructure, and application platforms are required to develop the products. Telephony and collaboration are also integrated within this wave and of course the management of telephony costs need to be managed accordingly.

The final phase is Wave3: which Chiodo defines as The mobile enterprise - which he essentially defines as businesses essentially born on mobile.

Companies in this wave are looking at mobility to drive transformation. They are likely to drive forward with mobility led business process,which enable them to engage with customers in real time, provide insight at the point of analytics, and there apps are designed for mobility first, cloud is transforming IT and business process into digital services.

Chiodo concluded by looking at what a company that operates as a Mobile Enterprise should look through the term "Individual Enterprise"

Describing how mobility can redefines business Chiodo explained that mobile first approach should create new business value, be powered by analytics, take advantage of the new technologies mobile devices offer and finally unleash employees power.

11:20 AM Overview of Digital Citizen: You

Dragan Pendić, Chief Security Architect, Diageo finished the morning session with a vibrant presentation that was refreshingly focussed on the possibilities of mobility from a IT security professional. Pendic opened up by firmly stating that we have no choice but to be a mobile focussed company as mobility is everywhere.

Through a series of clever, image driven slides Pendic firstly highlighted how mobility is simplifying our consumer lives, explaining the importance of context to the consumer, and the power that mobility can bring to us in understanding our customers.

The world is complex so lets focus on two simple elements the person and the application, Pendic asserted. If we focus on these then we can start to understand how to harness the business and also then we keep that mobile business secure.

 

Having then  provided a great and vibrant overview of the digital world we are living, Pendic took a  focus on privacy. Describing the relation of business and consumer in terms of privacy as a fine line that can deliver either a rich contextual experience or 'a little bit creepy.' He pointed out that it is up to us to get the right balance, to keep our clients onside.

Focussing still on the reward rather than the risk Pendic explained that we should be asking ourselves what do we know about our customers identity? How long does it take for people to buy our products? Do we understand what people are saying about us? These are options that can help us develop the understanding of our customers but of course they bring security issues.

Talking on Security - Pendic sommented "It is important to focus your attention on the top priorities of your company, what are the key resources you are making money on?  Then you can start to understand how people are likely to attack you? It will likely be a sequence of attacks, but  we know what they will be up to?"

12:20 PM Overview of Embracing the Mobile Customer Experience of the Future

After a brief refreshment break we return to the sessions with Sylvaine Smith, Field Mobility Director, Motorola Solutions. Mobility is data begins Smith, how can we collect it, manage it visualise and communicate internal data.

The future of mobility... as a device manufacturer Smith has seen how the world of mobility has changed completely. "How can we change the form factor of a device can fit into the workflow that it will be used within?" Smith asked. She answered this question by showcasing a fully handsfree device the HC1 which allows the field worker to completely hands free. Whilst its a bit of a bulky looking device it certainly offers fully handsfree user experience, and this was outlined in a case study video with Areva.

Smith followed the video introducing the device by outlining the need to work alongside their customers to understand their workflow. Another video followed, this time showing the power of RFID via the Zebra motion works sports solution which utilises RFID both within the stadium and the players themselves to provide data on how sports players are performing. Again a very cutting edge technology and an exciting application.

"To harness the power of mobility we need to understand what our strategies and objectives are before assessing the technologies we are using" Smith comments.

Taking a more specific look at specific industry verticals Smith then outlined how mobility solutions can enhance productivity in Utilities, before looking at how mobility can enhance the customer experience in retail.

Again we turned to video to see another futuristic glimpse of how retail can be shaped by mobile based solutions. This time it is Motorla's Wing5 that was showcased and the result of integrated technologies is impressive and again backs up Smith's viewpoint that understanding goals and pain points is the starting point for building an enterprise mobility session.

 

Moving on from retail Smith next showed us a video on how mobility solutions can benefit the housing association sector. This case study showed how South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) were able to bring their mobile workers into the twenty first century by moving away from laborious paper based processes to a fully mobile environment. As well as productivity improvements there were important benefits to loan worker protection.

One of the key messages of the case study was the benefit of working with a specialist mobility consultant (Peak Ryzex). The result of the shift was impressive, over 1,000 jobs completed in the year and significant cost savings also.

Smith concluded by stating that to take a mobility roll out from concept through to live and it is important of understanding key factors such as operating temperatures, battery usage, data input requirements etc and then running a pilot to ensure that the solution is the right fit for your needs.

12:47 Overview of Transforming the Mobile Workspace

The next presentation is from John Spencer, Director, Systems Engineering, Citrix Systems. Who gave us a an overview of how companies can be moving towards a more fluid mobile workspace.

Spencer began with a look at why we need enterprise mobility citing workforce mobility, flexible working, next generation workspaces, BYOD, security & compliance, and business continuity.

Spencer then posed the question is there a way to make everybody happy? Looking at the balance between IT, end users and the business. IT no business/end user yes.

Spencer then followed on to highlight that on the whole people just want to be productive. However, this often means a working around IT rather than with IT. 90% of people want to access email., 52% want to be able to focus on lines of business. and 48% want to data share - are these secure - there are challenges around all of these applications - how do we overcome these?

Spencer then introduced the Citrix Workplace Suite which incorporate Xen Desktop, Xen Mobile, Sharefile & NetScaler - which Spencer asserts can resolve many of the issues he has just outlined.

Xen Desktop - is a desktop as a service solution, it is a very secure model as it is essentially server basedand what Citrix have built there business around. Xen Mobile runs native devices and comes with out of the box MDM capability to add in security and incorporates secure Mail, Web, Cloud based storage, Note keeping, an office editor and XenDesktop.

Spencer next outlined the integration of the devices whilst highlighting that whilst there are many competitors to Citrix across there different offerings no one else can deliver across the whole range.

13:17 pm Panel Debate: Who’s Stealing Your Lunch?
First of todays panel debates: (abridged paraphrased notes)

On the panel:
Roy Sheppard – Facilitator
Dr. Thorsten Kramp, Researcher and Master Inventor, IBM
Kenny Fraser, Editorial Board, Enterprise Mobility Network
Stuart McKnight, Managing Director, Ascendant Corporate Finance

RS: What is the most exciting mobile enterprise example you have worked with

KF - Working with a scheduling tool for SME's. Why mobile is the next big thing is that SMEs are personal and mobile is personal.
RS: Is mobile perhaps bigger for SMEs then?
SM: Mobile is an enabler... small business are becoming much much more able to compete due to mobile.
RS: How is technology helping UK companies to move away from HQ's
KF: The technology is there to engage and collaborate far more than you have ever been able to do in the past. Is the technology there? Yes Are companies taking advantage of this? Not as much as they could be.
TK: From my opinion still nothing quite meets with kicking around ideas around the watercooler. The challenge is how do we do this in the virtual world.
RS: What industries are more under threat than others from mobile start-ups

SM: There is no place hide. IBM have a venture fund, Motorola have a fund. These companies are looking to find the latest innovation. In London it is the financial services market where there is a big focus on technology.
RS: What threats would say people need to be more aware of?
KF: I think that the threat is twofold. Firstly People will work out a workflow that uses non-corporate tools, with the best of intentions but they are working in a way that you don't know about. Secondly watch out for unestablished providers, particularly from emerging markets.
RS: Is mobility another .com bubble
SM: In short No.There are a number of different reasons why not but no.

14:15 Breakout session: Building the case...

Fantastic breakout session... look out for a future feature detailing what was discussed. Some excellent tech showcased by Lenovo. More to follow

16:09 Customer Case Study: Consistent Customer Experiences In a Mobile World 

As we head into the final sessions our next speaker is by Ashley Payne, Former Head of Digital Operations, Alvarez & Marsal

Online usability used to be dead simple is Payne's opening gambit. In explantation of this Payne outlined a brief history of web commerce. From 2,000 - 2006 the only real worries were a new web browser. Website usability was the hot topic. Then along came customer research firms, sign in barriers became removed etc. and we got it right.

However, today now 'online' means something different. Retailers typically maintain multiple sites as we use multiple devices.

Almost 2/3rd of retailers now operate 4 or more touch points. Yet only 1/3 however feel these are integrated. The customer needs consistency and ease of use. Mobile optimised presence, tablet friendly sites, seamless interaction with email across channels. We're not delivering.

We must go back to basics. A simple customer journey should not require learning. Websites should be fast and slick with reviews and ratings to help make objective buying options. We now expect not having to learn, for mobile we have neglected the basics in favour of rapid adoption.

 

Payne next moved on to things to avoid.  Content is the first thing to go missing when things are delivering at a pace. TopShop was a prime example of getting this wrong although they have since improved their approach. There needs to be continuity across mobile and desktop versions of websites otherwise the customer journey is a disparate and uncomfortable journey which will lose sales, Payne argues.

Retailers have experienced that conversion is much lower on a tablet than a desktop. However, should this read to panic? Not necessarily... understanding the customer journey is important. Mobile are predominantly used for research whereas desktops are used more frequently for purchase. Although mobile commerce now counts for 36% of online sales.

To conclude Payne further emphasised the need for a cohesive journey across the variety of devices we are using.

17:32 Overview of the final session Insight and Lessons From London 2012 Olympics: The Power of a Mobile Enabled Customer Experience

After a long and enjoyable day focussing on the issues around enterprise mobility we turn to the final session which brings us Greg Nugent, Former Director of Brand, Marketing and Culture for the London Olympics and Paralympics.

As the man responsible for the two largest ever marketing campaigns the UK has ever seen (he was also responsible for LeChunnel) Nugent spoke at length about the approach he and his team took.

However, the key take away - mobile and physical should sit together and as an integrated whole. As Nugent states the best brands thrive on Change.