Gathering mobile momentum

The smartphone is altering tomorrow before it even arrives – changing forever the way businesses connect and communicate. Kevin Kevany has more.
The medium ‘mobile’ is rapidly becoming the message – to misquote Marshall McLuhan, a 20th century Canadian philosopher of communication theory. But don’t be deceived into thinking that the colour, cost and now shape of your smartphone, and/or how smart you’ve been to get a killer deal from XYZ Company is what it’s all about.
No, it’s about how the continuing decline in the costs of phones and other devices (think laptops and flat-screen TVs and multiply that by the number of your choice) and how the costs of voice and data on those cheaper-‘n-cheaper smartphones will simply carry on going south.
That’s the independent view of Denis O’Shea, whose company, Mobile Mentor, has trained nigh on a million individual users of mobile phones over the past eight years on how to get the best out of them.
And it gets better. He predicts that major productivity gains and huge cost savings are going to come at the ‘blue-collar’ end, rather than jammed upstairs in the executive suites, as the next wave of the mobile revolution hits our shores. It will particularly impact SMEs (who have largely been conservative because of the high-costs of the devices and the carriers), construction, farming and onwards through the commercial and industrial sectors.
O’Shea believes that smartphones will only deliver on their true potential when all workers, from bottom to top, in every commercial, humanitarian and leisure activity can record every significant activity into inexpensive, tailored software – slashing costs and delivering productivity gains at the coalface (which we don’t even dream of, currently).
“A remote worker gets a delivery of stone. He records the relevant details – timing, quantity, whether he needs more, etcetera – and sends it to base. The software generates a receipt and any further order, with the receipt going to accounts and the order to the supplier, with copies to bosses who might want to intervene,” O’Shea says. “That’s a massive productivity gain just there, isn’t it?”
So listen up, it’s even going to be better than winning the Rugby World Cup. And, since I’m not an actuary, I’m not going to attempt to decipher for you what the best mobile deals are. Just focus on what the experts are up to in shaping mobile technology to support and expand your business goals and opportunities.
O’Shea runs a company which every SME owner/manager should take a look at, be it to ensure that all your employees fully understand how to use their mobiles or to integrate, manage and secure the different devices being used. The telcos also offer aspects of what he does, but Mobile Mentor is independent – and that’s a big plus for SMEs in this environment.
“We empower your employees to make the most of the mobile technology available to them, by training them on their devices, business and productivity apps. And we help SMEs to build their own internal apps to mobilise their work processes.
“Mobile Mentor can also provide a comprehensive BYOD (bring your own device) solution across a range of gear in the work environment.  We cover mobile policy, security enforcement, device management, user support, personal spend management and governance, and even how to make equitable decisions when accounting for personal use and business use,” says O’Shea, who confesses to favouring the iPhone, but reckons that by 2013 Blackberry will be back; the Androids will have closed the gap; and Windows-based phones will be seriously in the game.
“Essentially we provide a complete visibility of your mobile environment, so you are in control. And we provide a 24/7 service desk specifically for mobiles,” he says.
2degrees has cut a swathe across the SME market with deals and combinations the business owners were panting for, and breaking hitherto sacrosanct practices by introducing Carryover Minutes (for a year); 1GB bonus data and Free Calling Groups (‘from 2 to 22 people in your team’) to gain customer attention and credibility.
“We are finding more and more that the shift to a totally mobile business is being led by the customer. The movement away from traditional fixed services and towards mobility is really gaining momentum in New Zealand, and is following an undoubted global trend,” says 2degrees chief sales officer, Mark Cleary.  
“Having a mobile workforce equipped with the latest smartphones means that you can gain real productivity increases which flow through to an improved bottom-line.
“Looking to the future, there are a whole lot of new and exciting technology advancements that are set to change the way we all use our mobiles to run both our business and personal lives. Smartphone usage in New Zealand is increasing rapidly, with latest research showing that 44 percent of Kiwis currently own a smartphone. That is set to reach 50 percent by the end of this year.
“We will see network speeds increase significantly along with data usage,” adds Cleary. “And as things get faster and we will see a real shift from mobile being used predominantly just for voice, text and simple data, to the arrival of a whole new realm of services like mobile wallet, e-commerce, secure storage, video and so on.
“This opens up some major opportunities for businesses – not only from an operational and efficiency point of view, but also in terms of what businesses can offer their customers. So there are certainly some exciting times ahead for businesses in the mobile space, with the potential for huge benefits,” Cleary says.
“In terms of our marketplace, business customers’ expectations are likely to increase in the years ahead. The winners in the communications’ market will have to excel on delivering compelling value, great service and an excellent network performance, and we believe 2degrees is uniquely positioned to meet these today.”
Doing business better
As we were going to press, Becky Lloyd, Vodafone’s GM Business Marketing and an expert on unified communications was launching ‘dobusinessbetter.co.nz’ which she boasts is “packed with some of the best business content on the web, grouped into ten business areas – everything from looking after your staff to managing your bottom line”.
The website is a good example of how the mobile network providers are adapting to business demands. I checked-out ‘Innovation’, ‘Delighting Customers’ and ‘Drumming Up Business’ and hit pay dirt. I picked up i-nigma (a barcode scanner), and an interesting article on “the cultural change from one of ‘presenteeism’ to one in which people are measured on output”.
“There is no doubt that SME demand for mobility solutions has grown significantly in recent years and will continue to grow as owner/managers control their operations in a more innovative, cost-effective way, thanks to the growth of the mobile internet,” says Lloyd.  
“Last night’s iPhone 5 launch,” she adds, “proved several hundred New Zealanders were happy to brave the cold to be amongst the first to get their hands on the latest technology from Apple. It is evident that Kiwis are right up there with global trends.
“Being completely mobile can save a business owner valuable time and offer a real advantage over competitors. Technology can open up channels to new customers, and deliver new methods of working which allow business owners to keep up with their customers rapidly expanding expectations and needs.”
Vodafone’s Data Angel, for example, is a free stop-and-redirect service to control users accidentally going over data allowances. The associated security risks to customer data, company information and lost and stolen devices are taken care of with their Secure Device Manager, which can also locate lost phones, wipe unnecessary or dangerous apps remotely, and keep company data secure.
The other giant in our communications industry, is of course Telecom, which is now freed up and geared for the mobile market. Checkout telecombusinesshub.co.nz which had an interesting survey underway. They asked: ‘What IT trend most challenges your business?’ Unsurprisingly the top four (at that point), in order were: Integrating new technologies safely and securely – 39 percent; Being productive on the go – 27 percent; Connecting with customers from anywhere – 12 percent; and Enabling applications – nine percent. It’s a mobile world, folks.
Ed Hyde, GM mobile product for Telecom says ultimately the best mobile plan depends on the type of mobile customers will be using and what they are going to use it for.  
“The advent of the smartphone means data is becoming increasingly important to our customers. Those wanting to use their mobile to access data daily ideally need at least 500MB per month for a smartphone.
“As with calling and texting, the trick is to know which plan to choose. Our range of plans offer customers comfort and certainty about what they will enjoy with their mobile and how much it will cost. Customers can also keep an eye on how much data they are using on ‘Your Telecom’ – a free-of-charge icon which is pre loaded on all Telecom smartphones. We can also set up usage alerts for customers which are particularly helpful for those travelling overseas.”
Tap ‘n Go
Experts in the field believe the next big battle is going to be centred on the new digital wallets – predicted to change the way in which we shop and spend, and ultimately save and borrow. Two US firms, Square and Intuit, are already providing free small devices which attach to smartphones and allow SMEs to take credit-card payments.
And, of course, there is Near Field Communications (NFC), which allows users to make ‘tap ‘n go’ payments with their phones. If you are thinking of upgrading your EFTPOS system, you should probably ask independent experts what impact NFC technology could have on your decision.
Telecom had just finished a proof-of-concept trial at the end of September. It’s another step towards a full rollout of NFC technology within New Zealand and comes off the back of Paymark, Telecom New Zealand, 2Degrees and Vodafone NZ’s announcement earlier in the year to form a Trusted Services Manager (TSM), which will ‘establish a robust, open ecosystem for NFC-enabled New Zealand’.  
Telecom’s chief product officer Rod Snodgrass says: “This trial takes the use of mobile payment technology to a whole new level. We are all accustomed to storing our address books and diaries in our phones.  
“Well, now we can store our wallet there as well. This is not simply another application – it truly is a ‘mobile wallet’, which will hold multiple cards and secure applications, providing a fast, convenient and safe way to purchase goods and services.”
Telecom and its partners predict ‘mobile wallet technology will soon be a reality in New Zealand’.
Earlier, Vodafone NZ had outlined their global efforts to deliver on the ‘mobile wallet’, describing it as a natural fit, since their research had shown a full third of mobile users would rather lose their wallets than their phones!
The last piece of advice comes from Mobile Mentor’s O’Shea: “Get on the Cloud; it’s ‘lite’ and simple and ‘cheap as chips’; and don’t be overly concerned about security, it’s as good as it gets. Wi-Fi is going to play an increasing role in your communications with every passing day.”
His advice for New Zealand: “Embrace mobile technology. Let’s be quicker at adopting than the Aussies on this and slash costs and grow our productivity to really compete and beat “em.”
Kevin Kevany is an Auckland-based freelance writer.
Email [email protected]

Controlling escalating mobile costs
Auckland-based The Kiwi Canvas Company specialises in the production of custom-made canvas products and services customers across New Zealand.
Owner/operator Mark Brookes believes in placing customers at the heart of everything they do – by always being responsive to their needs and requests, be they from phone calls, texts and emails.
Availability is the key. But being totally mobile (no landlines) meant escalating bills and Kiwi Canvas was being frequently charged for going over their monthly limits. They also needed added flexibility to talk with employees and customers when and where they wanted, without restrictions.
The goal was:
• Mobile plans to suit the needs of each employee.
• Greater visibility into mobile costs and charges.
• Improved cost savings on their mobile costs.
• The option of a new smartphone for staff.

An experienced business sales consultant analysed their mobile usage, gained approval from Brookes and 2degrees carried out the transition in a way that didn’t interrupt the operation of his business. Everyone kept their existing numbers, which meant they didn’t lose contact with customers. The boss was even able to transfer their website’s 0800 number to his smartphone.
2degrees delivered a mix of appropriate mobile plans and services (including mobile broadband), enabling Kiwi Canvas to take the guesswork out of their bills, and save on costs. They had stopped the ‘nightmare’ bills by taking the guesswork out of monthly mobile costs.
Now, Brookes says, they can talk as much as they like and he feels he can limit his spending, but not the number of calls he needs to make. He can also track his spending as he goes, which means no shocks at month-end.