Mobile devices are everywhere in business. New use cases pop up continuously, and mobile has proven itself an invaluable tool to gain the nimbleness and productivity necessary to combat disruption and economic uncertainty. That value—combined with the benefits coming in new emerging technology—has enterprise leaders prioritizing mobile in their IT strategic plans. 

Increasing Value as Mobile Tech Evolves 

Unlike older business technology—like cash registers, for example—which evolved slowly over decades, mobile is progressing at light speed. Leading manufacturers are focused on making devices smaller, faster, and more useful to grow their market share. Business gets to reap the rewards of all that research and development. 

Wearables like smartwatches have many business use cases—particularly for workers on the go in field services, retail, restaurants, and hospitality. They’re digital assistants for communications, task management, and other hands-free functions. Wearable computers and peripherals for mobile devices like scanners and printers are also invaluable for logistics and retail environments. 

Now that 5G is widely available, there are even more use cases for internet of things (IoT) technology. 5G allows for more and faster connectivity. Reliable and stable connections are critical to things like security cameras and monitoring systems. Businesses are leveraging IoT data for everything from better supply chain visibility to valuable insights on customer behavior. 

Enterprises Using Far More Mobile 

New research in the Stratix 2023 Enterprise Mobility Outlook shows just how much business success now relies on mobile. Eighty-six percent are using more mobile now than in the last three years, and 97 percent say mobile is very, or extremely, important to their business. 

Use cases are evolving right along with technology improvements. Fifty-nine percent of enterprises are using more wearables now than in the last three years and 67 percent more IoT. 

Leaders Have More Mobile in IT Strategic Plans 

Why mobile is a key part of technology strategic planning is clear. Mobile solutions come with a host of significant benefits. They make organizations more nimble, efficient, and productive. Users enjoy significantly better experiences. There’s a higher ROI than with older technology, and mobile drives better business outcomes. 

Leaders are taking notice. In the 2023 Enterprise Mobility Outlook, 78 percent of respondents told us emerging tech is influencing their IT strategic plans. Mobile tech not only delivers productivity and convenience. It comes with a lot more actionable data that can be used with artificial intelligence and machine learning for automation and gaining customer insights that lead to better business decisions.  

Virtual and augmented reality tools are also seeing more use. In field services, for example, technicians can use 3D illustrations and videos to understand how to do complex tasks. In logistics, wearable devices paired with AR can guide employees to the best route through a warehouse and what packages to pick. 

IT strategy must include more than how to take advantage of improving tech and new use cases. It’s now crucial to also have a plan for how to manage all of it. In the 2023 Enterprise Mobility Outlook, 75 percent of respondents told us they’re at least somewhat overwhelmed by the increasing number of mobile devices, with 41 percent putting it at very or extremely. One way to reduce that is automating as many deployment, maintenance, and security tasks as possible with holistic Enterprise Mobility Management solutions where all the various mobile technology used across an enterprise can be administered from one pane of glass. The 2023 Enterprise Mobility Outlook found 78 of respondents say emerging tech is pushing them towards more comprehensive endpoint management strategies. 

It’s a lot to Juggle 

The value of mobile for combating disruption and economic uncertainty has significantly sped up the adoption of mobile solutions in business, and that’s challenging IT leaders. You’ve got to stay on top of what you have and have an eye on what’s coming in order to implement successful and highly competitive managed mobile solutions. 

The good news is you don’t have to go it alone. At Stratix, we have certified solution architects who know your industry and how to solve your pain points. Reach out today if you’d like to talk. 

2023 Enterprise Mobility Outlook Report

Research Shows Companies Are Leveraging Mobile Technology to Succeed in Uncertain Times

Read the Report