BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS:

SUPPORTING WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY WITH MOBILE BUSINESS SOFTWARE

Contents:

1 The increasing importance of mobility in business

2 Using mobile software to boost productivity

3 Examples of success from using mobile business management software

4 Technical considerations for mobile software

As the complexity of business continues to grow and change, business leaders are faced with increasing challenges to make effective decisions quickly. While there are more methods to extract and analyse business data, leaders are more challenged than ever to make business decisions in a quick time frame. Aberdeen group found that 66% of respondents are dealing with a smaller “decision window” - the effective period of time when relevant information can impact a business decision1.

Simultaneously, as technology becomes more flexible; the amount of remote, travelling or home-workers has increased. Aberdeen reveal that geographic dispersal of employees is the top factor hindering collaboration in the workforce. For particular goods industries, such as manufacturing, distribution, wholesale or retail, there are also areas of the business that will not be sat at a desktop but may need certain information or tools to do their job effectively.

Mobile devices are clearly used more nowadays by consumers than ever before. Business also follows the same pattern; a recent survey conducted by CDW assessing the impact mobile devices are having on business found that 89% of 752 business employees use mobile devices for work and 94% believe their mobile devices make them more efficient2.

Therefore, mobility in the workplace becomes a vital factor in giving employees the tools they need to be as effective as possible.

The increasing importance of mobility in business

Business Management Solutions:Supporting workplace productivity with mobile business software

94%believe their

mobile devices make them more

efficient

1 Source: http://v1.aberdeen.com/launch/report/research_report/9154-RR-mobile-BI.asp2 Source: http://www.telecompetitor.com/cdw-89-of-small-business-employees-

use-their-own-wireless-device-for-work/

Business Management Solutions:Supporting workplace productivity with mobile business software

As established, business mobility is important to give employees the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. But what is the ideal mobile solution for employee processes, data input and business workflows?

Traditional Enterprise Resource Planning software is designed for business management, to map, track and control vital business processes and resources, collect and analyse business data, and set business workflows and automation. With this in mind, mobile access to ERP software and the business processes within the solution, provides the ideal solution for employees to input data, upload documents and adhere to workflows. Aberdeen Group research demonstrates that organisations with access to mobile ERP are 88% more likely to enable data entry at the point of activity3. With a modern Business Management Solution, the benefits of this increase with the faster and simpler interfaces available.

On-the-go productivityMobile Business Management Solutions become particularly effective in both manufacturing, wholesale and distribution and in sales. For example a salesperson can enter orders and check product and service information such as specs and pricing, while they are out in the field so that delays are avoided and customers or prospects are served as they should be. Within wholesale, distribution or manufacturing, equipping a shop or warehouse floor with a tablet or mobile device can supply all the information employees need around projects, production, parts, process and progress, whilst also allowing data entry e.g. logging in and out of jobs and adding parts and progress updates. This instant data access and entry increa-ses accuracy, reduces time spent on administrative tasks and improves real-time data access.

Real-time Decision makingWith the increased access to real-time data, business leaders have the ability to make informed decisions. For example, when comparing organisations with mobile ERP to those without, Aberdeen Group reveal that organisations with mobile ERP are over twice as likely to have real-time visibility to the status of all processes3. In supply chain and production companies, this becomes particularly prevalent through instant notification of potential problems such as machine breakdowns or faults in the supply chain, and managers can authorise changes to expedite specific work orders or deliveries.

Whether enabling insight into processes, materials, events as they happen or financial data; mobile Business Management Solutions give decision makers the tools they need to report, analyse and act upon accurate business data, in a timely manner.

Customer SatisfactionMobile solutions can support customer interactions and therefore influence customer satisfaction. The integrated view of customer data in an Enterprise Resource Planning solution is even more effective when it is accessible on a mobile device, at the touch of a fingertip. Customers will receive the service they expect through providing immediate insight into preferen-ces, agreements and past sales. Customer service reps or technicians can also get access to business documents such as instructions or how-to guides to ensure they can take action on customer needs effectively.

Mobile Business Management becomes a complete produc-tivity tool. However, this does not mean that every employee should be able to access all of the information stored in the system, through their mobile device or on the web. Thought should be put into what each employee needs to view based on their role and the solution should be set up accordingly.

3 Source: http://v1.aberdeen.com/launch/report/research_report/9595-RR-mobile-ERP.asp

Using mobile software to boost business productivity

Click this link to watch the video to find out more: http://youtu.be/ToQDJv5yJdQ

Mobility is bringing many companies better results. Aberdeen Group quantify improvements made by using Mobile ERP in their recent report; mobile vs no mobile access creates a 42% improvement in inventory turns, 27% improvement in decisi-on making, 93% in inventory accuracy and 81% in customer satisfaction4.

Avon Rubber have found success with Sage X3, the simple and flexible mobile business management solution, by allowing employees to access real-time information from tablets anywhere in the world. They’ve deployed 35 iPads out on the warehouse floors to increase collaboration and allow instant production data entry.

4 Source: http://v1.aberdeen.com/launch/report/research_report/9595-RR-mobile-ERP.asp

“ We feel that Sage has partnered with us in a great way to help us

move formard and grow the business.”Avon Rubber Plc

Business Management Solutions:Supporting workplace productivity with mobile business software

Examples of success from using Mobile business management software

While there are clear benefits to implementing a mobile Enterprise Resource Planning solution with regard to productivity, costs and time saving, business intelligence and overall business operations, there are things to consider when searching for a solution. App management will be a major headache if IT functions approach the subject with traditional paradigms, and an appreciation of the diverse range of devices coming into the workplace is essential both in relation to ERP and business management solutions implementation and the development of IT functionality in general. There are several specifics that should be addressed when mobilising the workforce, which predominantly relate to security.

Data security and sharingTradtional ERP and modern business management systems contain confidential business data, which like any company asset raises the question of security. While most IT groups have moved out of the denial stage that the ‘bring-your-own-device’ (BYOD) movement wouldn’t take off, many are confronted with how to deal with the operational complexity created by employee-owned, multi-platform mobile devices connected to their networks.

Will Kelly of TechRepublic explains: “Enabling access to the kind of sensitive and proprietary data that resides in any ERP or customer relationship management (CRM) system to BYOD users requires up-front analysis and planning to ensure that your platforms, infrastructure, and security protect your critical corporate data”5. The best way to deal with BYOD and the risk of compromised company and client information is to take a proactive approach by engaging IT teams, auditors and other compliance team members. From device level Mobile Device Management (MDM) security to containerised app specific Mobile Application Management (MAM) technology, there are many solutions ensuring the backend of the company is kept safe.

Employee owned devicesBeyond the security issues, employee-owned devices can blur the distinction between personal and professional lives. This can affect work/life balance on a personal level, but there are similar concerns from a business perspective. Access to corporate ERP systems from a personal device requires a documented data ownership policy to ensure there is no confusion over what is ‘personally owned’ and what belongs to the company. Management, legal and other business stakeholders should all have a hand in compiling an ownership plan, which should be shared and accessible.

Cost of transforming to a mobile workforceThere is an initial cost to transforming to a mobile workforce, but it is an inevitable evolution and the long-term efficiency gains make it a requirement, rather than an optional luxury. Along with license costs and infrastructure, there are costs to providing additional configuration on the system-side and extra auditing and reporting. Ensuring the security requirements are in place will also be crucial to the success of mobilising the workforce and bringing new capabilities into the business.

5 Source: www.techrepublic.com/blog/tablets-in-the-enterprise/factor-mobile-erp-and-crm-into-byod-planning/

Business Management Solutions:Supporting workplace productivity with mobile business software

Technical Considerations for Traditional Mobile ERP and Advanced Mobile Business Management

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Sage X3 is not your typical ERP solution. It’s a faster, simpler and more flexible, mobile business management solution for the connected enterprise.Sage X3 accelerates business processes - from purchasing to manufacturing, inventory, sales, customer service, and financial management - within one cohesive business management system - in the cloud or on-premise, available across all devices. With 8-2000 user capacity, alongside flexible and ready-to-use industry best practices for distribution, manufacturing and services; Sage X3 supports growth for a profitable domestic or global business.For a quick to implement and simple business management solution that adapts to meet your business requirements, allows access across multiple devices, user roles and preferences, find out more about Sage X3 today.

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Business Management Solutions:Supporting workplace productivity with mobile business software

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