Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Looking Out. As you may have seen from yesterday's entry, I spoke this past week with Jim Hemmer. Jim is the President and CEO of Antenna Software, a leading New Jersey based player in the mobile enterprise application platform market.
When Jim and I got to catch up last week, we killed two birds with one stone. We spoke about the acquisition of Dexterra, as well as some general trends in enterprise mobility. Read on...
Enterprise Mobility Matters: Hi Jim. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today. I know your travel schedule has been more than hectic recently with the acquisition of Dexterra! So again, welcome to Inside Looking Out. Let's get to it!
What would you say is the greatest advancement in enterprise mobility in the last few years?
Jim Hemmer: Hi Philippe. Thanks for having me on your series. The greatest advancement in my opinion is more powerful devices – and more of them. A few years ago BlackBerry and Windows Mobile were the only games in town for business mobility. Today iPhone, Symbian, Palm and Android are joining the fray. These newer, advanced devices are getting the attention of corporate users and are finding their way into the workplace. Consequently, most businesses are realizing that they must be able to support and manage multiple device platforms. The freedom to choose the right device for the job ensures high end-user adoption, satisfaction and ROI.
EMM: Are companies looking at mobility differently today as compared to a few years ago?
JH: A few years ago, mobility was treated as more of a project for a particular business unit to mobilize the sales force or field service organization, etc. Today, companies are recognizing that mobility is core to IT infrastructure and imperative for strategic differentiation. The mobile workforce used to be a subset – now it’s likely the majority of employees. That’s why many smart companies are looking to empower people with process-oriented mobile applications to help them work and communicate more effectively.
EMM: How do you see the economy impacting mobility in the enterprise? When are we going to see an upturn in the (our) market?
JH: The economy has slowed down some buying cycles and required IT to scrutinize and prioritize investments. In spite of this, we believe mobility will continue to grow because it shows clear evidence of improved cost containment and more effective asset/resource management – the key issues enterprises are facing now. Also, mobility is a productivity driver and businesses now are looking for more operational efficiency and productivity gains.
EMM: What do you think is the greatest current opportunity for enterprise mobility?
JH: The greatest opportunity is in creating mobile solutions that drive exponential business process efficiencies. We call this the “Mobile Bang Theory” – one mobile action sparks multiple business reactions. By using mobile solutions that are integrated into multiple internal and external data systems, users can drive real-time transactions that set off a cascading effect across the enterprise to improve efficiency and productivity. To be successful today, your organization must be responsive in real time and mobility enables that.
EMM: What do you think is the greatest risk for organizations right now?
JH: The greatest risk is in non-action. Mobility is a competitive differentiator. By waiting to implement mobile solutions, companies can fail to keep pace and be out-maneuvered by competitors that become more agile and profitable through mobility.
EMM: What steps should executives take to ensure the success of their mobility implementations?
JH:
- Keep It Open: One-off point solutions (from one device to one CRM system to one workgroup, for example) can satisfy some mobile requirements, but are rigid and inflexible to ever-changing business demands.
- Choose the Right Device for the Job: With a plethora of mobile devices on the market, it’s vital that IT can embrace diversity
- Think Outside the Application: Instead of simply mobilizing the back-end application, think about how combining other complementary tools and value-added services will set a new standard for employee effectiveness. For example, device features, including cameras, bar-code scanners, signature captures and GPS and communications tools such as phone, e-mail and mobile IM capabilities create real competitive differentiation and help to drive user adoption
- Involve Your Users: User input – early and often – usually leads to successful adoption. It is critical that the mobile solution not be built in a vacuum either by IT or by a subset of business users.
- Look to the Cloud to Contain Costs: Having a hosted solution provides tangible, measurable benefits – lowering capital expenditure by offloading the hosting, managing and monitoring.
EMM: OK Jim - One more question. I have to ask because of what you guys have been up to this year. You’ve made some moves in the space recently, having bought Vettro and now Dexterra. Where do you see consolidation going within the mobility space in the next 12 months?
Antenna has been very fortunate to be able to acquire both Vettro and Dexterra. Today the mobile enterprise market is still too complex, which ultimately leads to confusion and slows down decision making. As such, I believe that we will see further consolidation as pure-play mobile application providers get smaller or get acquired – these companies will have a tough time growing to any significant scale. On the other hand, mobile platform providers will need to provide a more holistic solution to customers that simplifies how mobility is consumed for the mainstream enterprise. That holistic solution might include broader device management and security, more extensive application sets, and overall improved integration to numerous heterogeneous enterprise systems. I also think that a hosted multi-tenant platform will carry the day in the market.
Well there you have it. Some really great commentary from Jim Hemmer. Thank you Jim for taking the time to chat with me about your views on Enterprise Mobility.
Do you know anyone who should be a guest here on Inside Looking Out? Drop me a line.
