Creating Value with Mobility: An Enterprise Perspective

2007-11-14 17:23:39 By Mike Russell Source: http://www.accenture.com

Enterprise mobility—defined as giving employees access to corporate data at the point of activity through the use of mobile devices—is gaining traction as a powerful way for enterprises to achieve higher levels of performance.

Pioneering companies that have adopted enterprise mobility solutions, such as FedEx and SBC, already are achieving measurable results, including increased revenues, reduced costs and faster time to market. Now, with recent advancements in mobile devices, wireless networks and application pervasiveness, mobility solutions are becoming a more feasible option for a growing number of enterprises. According to The Yankee Group 2004 Wireless Survey, approximately 55 percent of US businesses will deploy a wireless wide-area data solution by mid-2006.

However, to realize the full potential of mobile solutions, these enterprises are asking urgent questions about mobile technology, including:
What business functions are most likely to benefit from real-time wireless data?
When is the right time to mobilize business functions?
What are the proven, measurable benefits of going mobile?
Given the complex technical ecosystem around mobility, how are mobile projects implemented?

To find answers to these questions, Accenture teamed with Cingular (fka AT&T Wireless) on a joint research project in 2004. For the study, we reviewed 40 production deployments of real-time wireless technology and interviewed executives at 25 companies about their experience with wireless technology. Then we identified and prioritized the top business processes for mobile implementation, and validated our findings in round-table discussions with clients and alliance members.

The insights gained from the research give wireless carriers a unique view of the enterprise mindset on mobility. More important, the research provides carriers with a better understanding of how to add value in the enterprise with mobility solutions.