Businesses Mobile Technology Investment: Boom or Bust?

2021 experienced a mobility revolution, becoming a necessity to business continuity as mobile operators looked to invest in upgrading services to meet ballooning demand for mobile connections and technology. Some organizations embraced the challenges and adopted long-term technology solutions to help their business survive and thrive. Others struggled and opted to invest only for the short-term when it came to mobile technology.

With remote and hybrid work models here to stay, there’s no secret mobile technology holds the key to helping enterprises continue business operations, employee collaboration and consumer satisfaction amidst the new normal. However, poor integration is threatening businesses’ potential in a defining year for enterprise mobility, and only time will tell if businesses made the right mobile technology investments for the long term, or just enough to get them through the crisis.

Embracing Mobile and IoT Device Management

Any chance at a real opportunity goes to the early movers – the ones who see mobile technology as an enabler, rather than a hindrance.

The pandemic forced organizations of all sizes to adopt mobile technology to keep their doors open. Businesses had to find a way for remote workers to be productive at home, and keep workers who need to be in the office safe.

The kind of technology helping an organization adapt to these new challenges depends on the business. Perhaps more laptops to facilitate work from home, or tablets to engage with customers and patients.

When the world was forced to go virtual, it forced industries from around the globe to advance their use of technology by several years.

For example, retailers pivoted to more online shopping and curbside pick-up, real estate agents started giving virtual tours and doctors expanded their use of telemedicine. At first, this change was made to adjust to government-mandated lockdowns. But now, the public expects these conveniences to stay available to them long after the pandemic is over.

Another example is that digital adoption in healthcare was advanced by about 10 years. In healthcare, telemedicine is beneficial for both physicians and patients, and has been available at some level for several years. Now, with commonly available technology, such as cameras on smartphones, patients can communicate more effectively with healthcare providers. Digital apps and the Internet of Things allow for remote monitoring of many more patients than a single provider can see. It also provides an added layer of comfort for patients as they don’t have to visit a physician’s office in person.

Adapting to Just Survive

Many enterprises did invest in mobile tech/security in the last year, but up to 73% admit their technology still needs to improve data analytics, troubleshooting and issue resolution. Businesses needing to adapt and change to the market in which they operate is not a new concept. It wasn’t that long ago when making purchases online was a novelty. In the 90s, ordering groceries from a television set, placing a pizza order from your computer and buying a book online were new and exciting. Doing all these things now is table stakes.

Surprisingly, just 31% of respondents in SOTI’s A Defining Year: State of Mobility 2021 Report didn’t think the investment in mobile technology in the last year had provided a positive ROI for their organization. The challenge for these companies is to integrate mobile technology more fully into their workflows to capitalize on the potential of mobile technology to provide flexibility and intelligence across the whole enterprise. This will allow them to capitalize on the potential of their technology to provide flexibility and intelligence across the whole enterprise and the first step to maximizing ROI.

Where Do We Go From Here?

It’s not redundant to say that organizations need to integrate technology into their daily operations, whether it’s an investment in new technology or integration of existing technology. Now that we are well into the pandemic, every organization has learned from their own experiences on what they would do / never do again, and put a plan in place should this, or anything like it, happen again. Businesses need to manage their mobile fleet and have the right devices and strategies in place to move successfully forward.

It is important that solutions are carefully selected to fit organizational needs. Even more important; businesses need to ensure their technology is properly integrated and in sync with existing systems, otherwise they run the risk of these investments failing to deliver the value and positive impact they have on operational success. The world has changed. Enterprises need to change and adapt for their workers and their bottom line. It’s clear that many businesses know there is still a great deal of potential locked up in their mobile technology – they just require access to the expertise and technology needed to unlock it.