Mobile Workers Vincent Maher, Portfolio Manager: Social Networking, Vodacom SA

3 different types of mobile worker Always mobile Sometimes mobile Hybrid

Always mobile

Sometimes mobile

Hybrid

Always Mobile Very seldom comes into the office Needs more than 80% of work functionality on the phone Uses a laptop only when stationary 100% reliant on email Will need to teleconference a lot

Very seldom comes into the office

Needs more than 80% of work functionality on the phone

Uses a laptop only when stationary

100% reliant on email

Will need to teleconference a lot

Sometimes Mobile Work is divided into periods of travel and office work Must be able to synchronize desktop applications with mobile Phone is a lifeline while in transit Laptop still primary device

Work is divided into periods of travel and office work

Must be able to synchronize desktop applications with mobile

Phone is a lifeline while in transit

Laptop still primary device

Hybrid Mobile Travels a lot but doesn’t work while travelling Work is done at stationary but sometimes remote locations Laptop is primary device

Travels a lot but doesn’t work while travelling

Work is done at stationary but sometimes remote locations

Laptop is primary device

Differing needs Always Mobile Strong email and IM Document viewing and editing Internet everywhere Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests Customized input software Extended kit (extra battery, chargers etc)

Always Mobile

Strong email and IM

Document viewing and editing

Internet everywhere

Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests

Customized input software

Extended kit (extra battery, chargers etc)

Differing needs Sometimes Mobile Strong email and IM Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests Light but powerful laptops Remote access to the company network/VPN Quick wake-up and hibernating machines Long battery-life, extra battery packs, stockpile of spare cables etc at office

Sometimes Mobile

Strong email and IM

Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests

Light but powerful laptops

Remote access to the company network/VPN

Quick wake-up and hibernating machines

Long battery-life, extra battery packs, stockpile of spare cables etc at office

Differing needs Hybrid Mobile Remote access to the company WAN/VPN Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests Company sponsored broadband Must be able to access same services remotely as they would in the office

Hybrid Mobile

Remote access to the company WAN/VPN

Centralized/synchronized calendar sharing and meeting requests

Company sponsored broadband

Must be able to access same services remotely as they would in the office

Profiles Always Mobile Sales team Remote assessment Sometimes Mobile Senior management Hybrid Mobile Senior management, occasional travelers

Always Mobile

Sales team

Remote assessment

Sometimes Mobile

Senior management

Hybrid Mobile

Senior management, occasional travelers

Possible special requirements Standardization of handsets Mobile software development GPS integration

Standardization of handsets

Mobile software development

GPS integration

Work Types Systems input Access core systems directly Self-management Appointment scheduling, Intranet access, HR tools like digital pay-slips Document work File sharing, document editing, workflow Conversational work Email, IM, Social Network messaging

Systems input

Access core systems directly

Self-management

Appointment scheduling, Intranet access, HR tools like digital pay-slips

Document work

File sharing, document editing, workflow

Conversational work

Email, IM, Social Network messaging

Scenarios Standardized and structured Company chooses handset profile Applications built for specific devices Security and data integrity enforced Loosely knit Workers choose handsets and applications Mesh different platforms together as and when they need them

Standardized and structured

Company chooses handset profile

Applications built for specific devices

Security and data integrity enforced

Loosely knit

Workers choose handsets and applications

Mesh different platforms together as and when they need them

Example Vodacom SN team Located across 3 continents, different time-zones Management team travel frequently Work is a combination of documentation and conversation Work can happen at any time of the day across any time-zone

Vodacom SN team

Located across 3 continents, different time-zones

Management team travel frequently

Work is a combination of documentation and conversation

Work can happen at any time of the day across any time-zone

Example Devices BB Bold, BB Storm, HTC Magic, Samsung, Nokia E and N series Dell/Apple laptops What we use for comms Conversational: GTalk, SMS, The Grid, Skype Documents: MS Office, Google Docs and SS Messaging: Email, Facebook*

Devices

BB Bold, BB Storm, HTC Magic, Samsung, Nokia E and N series

Dell/Apple laptops

What we use for comms

Conversational: GTalk, SMS, The Grid, Skype

Documents: MS Office, Google Docs and SS

Messaging: Email, Facebook*

Conclusions Companies must analyze different types of mobile worker Align the type of work with the type of tools required Be aware of costs and who should rightfully pay them Understand the implications of each work type and the communications peaks and troughs

Companies must analyze different types of mobile worker

Align the type of work with the type of tools required

Be aware of costs and who should rightfully pay them

Understand the implications of each work type and the communications peaks and troughs

Discussion Email: vincent@vincentmaher.com Twitter: @vincent_maher Voice: 082 998 5412 Blog: http://www.vincentmaher.com