Technology is at the forefront of the business world right now. More than ever, companies are having to invest in the latest computers and software to make sure their teams can meet with an increasingly competitive market. And, as many business owners are now discovering, business-specific mobiles are quickly becoming a large part of that race.
By providing business mobiles across the company landscape, managers are better able to provide the tools their team need to stay on top with changing customer needs. And, as mobile browsing/buying grows, the benefit of investing here is only set to increase.
Of course, getting this right is all about taking your time. Business-suitable phones with SIM-only deals like those offered by SMARTY SIM and strict browsing limitations are usually best. Get those basics right, and you can start enjoying business benefits that include –
Increased connectivity with mobile consumers
Being in better touch with mobile-specific consumers has to be the main benefit of providing business mobiles. Remember that we’re in an age where 72% of the population will use only their phones for internet browsing by 2025. Helping your employees meet that market like-for-like could well see you keeping on top with sales despite changes.
Easy access to business-based mobile technology can, after all, help your team view your online shop through mobile devices and make changes accordingly. It can also help them to interact with consumers on a device-to-device basis that makes communications easier on both ends. In short; the supply of in-company mobiles is soon set to become fundamental for allowing your team to do their job.
By comparison, attempting to continue operations through desktop could see you becoming out of touch with growing mobile needs. In most cases, your team won’t even know what your page layout looks like on a smaller screen. That’s set to be a fatal mistake, and it’s something you should take action now to avoid in the next five years.
Meeting those remote work needs
Mobile browsing in itself isn’t the only business advancement that could make phone investments like these worth your while. We are, after all, in an age where 95% of modern workers want to work from home. What’s more, 75% of those would be willing to quit their jobs to pursue this opportunity. Alongside these figures, we have widespread estimations that 50% of the UK workforce is predicted to work at least some of the time remotely by 2020.
Of course, remote work in itself is a different matter, and it’s one that you’ve likely already taken steps towards. What you may not realise is that the supply of business mobiles could make this transition a whole lot easier on a business-wide scale. When paired with cloud capabilities, mobile devices like these ensure that remote work is possible and productive.
With business mobiles to hand, employees can continue to access necessary applications, video conferencing capabilities, and even VoIP services that make it possible to send and receive company calls, as well as accessing business voicemails.
Of course, each of these benefits is also accessible through desktop use, but transferring these capabilities to mobile still looks set to change remote business. Instead of relying on employees to stay at home all day, mobile opportunities mean they can work as they travel, complete errands, and generally achieve the work/life balance that remote work is tailored towards in the first place.
Increased on-call hours
In specific business settings, employees must be on-call through certain out-of-office hours. While this is a status traditionally associated with doctors and the like, even office-based IT workers are now finding increased needs for availability. Some retailers now offer 24/7 helplines, for instance, while IT management providers must address breaches and issues that occur at any time of day.
Sadly, traditional on-call methods such as beepers don’t necessarily work for these needs. As well as failing to connect with your systems, these simplified techniques can leave consumers waiting for even simple answers. Not to mention that employees will likely need to come to the office to find out what’s going on!
By comparison, business mobiles make for easy on-call hours that work for everyone. Most notably, it’s possible to connect these devices to necessary software so that messages or notifications appear directly on a mobile screen. This way, employees will be able to answer consumer queries directly or phone the customer in question to handle an issue in moments. Equally, connecting mobile devices to cybersecurity software etc. means that your team members can be notified of breaches or attempted hacks at any time. This, in turn, allows you to meet those increasingly out-of-hours consumer needs with speed and professionalism at all times.
Did anyone say incentive?
Last but most definitely not least, business mobiles can provide a fantastic incentive for your employees to perform and achieve this perk. Admittedly, you’ll want to be careful with how you determine who qualifies for this benefit, and how they’re allowed to use their device for their advantage. But, like company cars before them, you would be amazed by how well mobiles can work for pushing employees forward.
It may be that you offer business phones to your ‘top performers’ as a way of proving your trust. Or, you may provide mobiles for entire business teams when they do well. Either way, make sure that everyone understands the need to use these phones for business above all. Then, sit back and enjoy increased productivity across the board as everyone tries to impress enough to get a shiny new phone in their pockets.
Conclusion
Business phones aren’t exactly a new idea, but recent years have seen a need to roll these out across the business board. Rather than being a perk for the select company elite, team members at the bottom of the ladder should now qualify for this investment. Though it may cost to begin with, the increased workload and ability to meet changing consumer needs that follows are guaranteed to pay for themselves.