Integrating Mobile Computing Into Your Small Business
Utilizing mobile increases productivity and flexibility. Late nights at the office can now be spent on the couch in those tattered sweats from the dorm days. EasyTech has provided the information you need for a safe and easy transition for your business.
Let’s face it: Small-business owners aren’t always the most avid early adopters of new technology. It’s easy to get comfortable using the technology you already know. But sometimes that technology finds its way into your company whether you like it or not.
Case in point: mobile computing devices such as tablets and smartphones, which are spreading like wildfire through the business world. Resistance is almost certainly futile, so the best thing you can do is embrace these devices and craft some smart policies governing their usage.
Think Compatibility
Mobile computing works best when all the devices on your network play nice. One way to ensure compatibility is to mandate that all your employees carry the same phone—or at least the same operating system—on their phone. Alas, this approach all but guarantees you’ll be on the hook for purchasing those devices yourself—not a great option for many SBOs.
One good alternative is to choose company-wide mobile software (apps) that will be used for all storage and collaboration. Take a look at some widely loved platforms like Basecamp, Evernote, Dropbox, Box, and Google Docs for seamless cross-compatible productivity.
Think Security
Your top priority when it comes to mobile computing is security: keeping your company’s correspondence and data away from prying eyes. To lock down your precious IP, make sure all of your company’s mobile devices are password- or passkey-protected.
Invest in mobile antivirus software from the likes of Symantec or McAfee, and consider encrypting your company data whenever it travels beyond the walls of your company. These simple steps can repel most hacking attacks, letting you sleep soundly at night without suffering nightmares of a lost smartphone. (And, don’t forget to define your mobile security policy.)
Think Caution
Not every mobile computing device policy is about hardware or software. Sometimes the biggest threats come from so-called wetware, which is to say the three or so pounds of tissue between your employees’ ears.
Cognitive errors and poor judgment create ample opportunities for malware to get into your company’s network. Direct your employees to avoid the most common mistakes on their mobile devices: clicking suspicious links, visiting unsavory websites, and responding to phishing attacks with credulous honesty.
Think Ahead
The best way to avoid mobile threats is to codify these steps into a comprehensive mobile policy, and to update it often. So-called “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies are rapidly becoming the norm these days as new employees arrive fully married to their phones and tablets.
By preparing some best practices for compatibility, security, and employee habits, you can avoid the most costly mobile mishaps and keep your business free of bottlenecks. And who knows? You might even find all those tiny mobile devices actually make your company bigger.