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Ahead of an upcoming webinar with Field Service News, Xplore’s John Graff takes a look at why ultimately so many mobility projects fail to deliver the return on investment they promise...

A couple months ago, former mobile solutions architect and current Xplore consultant Bob Ashenbrenner noted that “many companies are struggling to figure out how and when to invest in not just mobile technologies, but the right mobility solutions.”

A similar sentiment is being shared by SOTI CEO and founder Carl Rodrigues after reviewing the results of a recent study conducted by Arlington Research on his company’s behalf:

“Many organisations are using mobility for the basics, but do not know how to implement the next level of mobile integration to transform their workforce…” he noted before adding that this hurdle ‘…is leaving businesses with a “piecemeal approach” to their mobile operations – a disconnected set of point solutions required to perform business critical operations.’

Though there is a consensus among organisations worldwide that more mobility tools are needed in the workplace (for many reasons), there is also a consensus that shopping for effective mobility solutions can be complex.

That is precisely why we’ve brought Bob together with our EMEA Sales Director Sandy McCasky on November 8 for a upcoming “coffee break” webinar with Field Service News.

They will have a very open and honest conversation about why so many executives are hesitant to buy into more advanced mobile technology implementations given the business process improvements that have been repeatedly credited to increased utilisation of mobile devices.

They will also explore the reasons why so many employees (49%) are fearful of – and frustrated by – mobility downtime.

 

In my opinion, both of these issues boil down to one underlying challenge: Too many companies don’t have a well-planned buying process for mobility solutions.

Often, they have many good ideas for possible uses of mobility, yet they may skip steps in the buying and evaluation process to meet an accelerated timeline, or they may fail to take certain actions early enough in the process to ensure success.

For example, they know they need X, Y and Z capabilities, but spend months scouring the web, chugging through sales meetings and churning through testing cycles without ever securing executive sponsorship or proving the business case.

There’s a tendency by many managers to gravitate towards mobile device brands that they are familiar with from their personal lives; consumer brands that aren’t suited for professional environments.

And, while your mobile device decision alone can’t make or break the success of your organisation’s mobility project, device failures are a leading cause of worker downtime.

Picking incompatible device-software-accessory combinations because it was hard to make an apples-to-apples “solution” comparison online or forgetting to consider the true durability requirements beyond a “ruggedized case”, often leads to project failure in the eyes of workers and executives.

Thus the reason why Xplore is working with partners such as Intel to create a templatised action plan that every company can reference when buying mobile technologies.

A roadmap that gives you turn-by-turn guidelines on how to get from point A (your problem) to point B (your solution) without any costly detours along the way.

 

I’m confident that if we – collectively with our customers and partners – help simplify the “shopping” process from day one, organsations will be able to make more informed technology purchasing decisions and secure executive support for full-scale implementations.

They will also realise the benefits of improved worker productivity and more cost-effective workflow execution.

In short, a single shift in your mobile buying strategy and process can put your organisation in a position to more expeditiously advance its business goals and take advantage of new revenue-generating opportunities.

If you want to move your mobility project forward quickly – and move your company closer to productivity and growth goals via mobility – then join us for this webinar.

You’ll walk away with the know-how and resources to choose a mobile solution that’s capable of improving business process efficiency and, therefore, your operational performance and profitability levels.

Register for the webinar @ http://fs-ne.ws/TWDr30fM4Sc

 

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TomTom Telematics has announced a collaboration with SOTI that will see the company’s popular flagship enterprise mobility management (EMM) software, MobiControl, be made available to manage TomTom PRO 8 series* driver terminals.

SOTI MobiControl gives fleet managers complete remote control of the TomTom PRO 8 series, an open-platform device that is easily customised with apps to meet the needs of specific users and functions. Content and user profiles on devices are managed centrally, so drivers have access to the most appropriate and up-to-date applications for their specific role, without having to return to base.

SOTI MobiControl offers a powerful feature set, enabling managers to dynamically control user groups and policies, allowing access to apps, functionality and content based on a user’s role in the business. Access can also be determined based on geographical location. These features not only help to control app usage, but also to manage data costs, for example by not allowing users to download large files when they are abroad.

 

“SOTI MobiControl allows customers using TomTom PRO 8 series driver terminals to instantly manage and update devices in the field, via one secure interface, so they are always fit for purpose. This takes the complexity out of mobility management and frees up time to focus on core tasks,” said Oscar Rambaldini, Vice President of Product Management at SOTI.

“SOTI is a leader in mobile device management, and by offering MobiControl together with the TomTom PRO 8 series of driver terminals we are helping businesses ensure that their field teams have the tools they need to be effective,” said Taco van der Leij, VP Marketing at TomTom Telematics. “With hundreds of apps available for WEBFLEET and PRO 8 series driver terminals we are committed to helping our customers to achieve more with their businesses.”

The integration will be handled by OrangeSeven BV, a specialist in MDM that SOTI has selected to provide all MobiControl solutions to TomTom worldwide.

 

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As the organisers of the Field Service Solutions Theatre at this year’s Service Management Expo, Field Service News was on hand to speak exclusively to a number of leading industry professionals straight as they stepped off the theatre podium. In this video series we are pleased to bring you the highlights from the Field Service Solutions Theatre.

Here we hear from Richard Smith from SOTI discussing a case study that looked at how workplace services organisation PHS approached digitising their workforce with an Enterprise Mobility Management solution.