Today’s businesses have the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world. But, does business mobility really matter? Research shows it can be a vital tool—giving companies a competitive edge over less mobile organizations. Mobility can increase productivity, improve customer service, and provide a better work environment for employees.
Mobility Gives Employees Access to Work 24/7
You could argue that pagers started the mobility movement, followed by Palm Pilots and Blackberry® phones. Businesses have come a long way since then. Mobility is more than carrying around a mobile device—it’s the ability to access company information and work from anywhere, anytime.
Many workers now use three (or more) devices; laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Mobile devices, remote employees, and working on the go are all considered normal, even necessary for many businesses. Telecommuting (working remotely by digitally connecting to a central location) has increased in popularity. In fact, 37 percent of US workers have telecommuted.
Business trips may come to mind when thinking about mobility. Yet, many employees are working between meetings, at home, and in public spaces. More than 50 million Americans are mobile, spending at least 20 percent of their time away from their primary workspace.
3 Ways Mobility Can Impact Your Business
1. Company Productivity
Business mobility offers significant opportunities to maintain and boost productivity. 58 percent of Americans believe telecommuters are just as productive as office workers. Mobile businesses often use the cloud or other digital formats for storing documents. Employees can access information wherever they are—and limit paperwork at the same time.
Complete projects faster and increase collaboration by ensuring employees can respond to questions, messages, or emails anywhere.
2. Customer Satisfaction
Applications have the ability to turn Android and IOS devices into desk phones. This lets employees make and take calls on the run, ensuring your customers aren’t waiting. Mobile twinning allows for seamlessly transferring a call from a desk phone to a smartphone on the way to a meeting.
Having instant access to customers’ emails and questions gives your company the opportunity to provide timely responses. Free Wi-Fi in an office or storefront can help customers stay productive, enticing them to return.
3. Employee Happiness
Offer a flexible work environment to current and future employees with business mobility. More than 90% of small businesses report mobility provides more flexible environments to their employees by allowing them to work in the field, at home, and elsewhere. A dentist appointment or a sick child at home doesn’t have to mean an unproductive day.
Attract (and retain) top talent with mobility—80 percent of people say work flexibility is the most important factor when evaluating job prospect. In fact, 35 percent of millennials would take a pay cut for more flexible schedules.
Simple Ways to Introduce Business Mobility
Mobility can have a positive impact on businesses in all industries. However, you may be overwhelmed by the options or not know where to start.
While cost is important, it’s also important to identify the value mobility brings. Productivity can increase revenue and open new opportunities. Employee satisfaction is hard to quantify, but employees with flexible schedules are more engaged and can drive better results.
Business Wi-Fi is a simple option that can benefit your employees and customers. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology connect computers, printers, and other devices. This helps customers stay connected and unchains employees from their desks.
A BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy can help you reduce costs. Many employees have smartphones or other devices they’re comfortable using. Protect sensitive data by establishing guidelines, accepted devices, accepted apps, backup options, and anything strictly not accepted.
Frontier® Secure helps support business mobility by providing affordable device coverage, cloud solutions, and data protection. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) offers a secure connection to your company’s network—allowing employees to log into a secure connection—wherever they are.
Business mobility gives you the opportunity to interact closely with your employees and customers. Simple steps like a BYOD policy have the power to improve productivity. With improved productivity and connectivity, your business can interact with customers quickly and efficiently. The flexibility mobility provides can boost employee satisfaction and even help you attract top talent.
Choose to help create a more productive business and a better work environment with Frontier Business.