Businesses that don’t prioritise integrated mobility solutions are at a real risk of losing their competitive advantage.

It goes without saying that the rapid surge in adoption of smartphones and tablets, along with the rise in the use of social interaction applications available on those devices, is driving significant change.

Users expect instant access to information and the ability to socialise, shop and play – as well as work and conduct business – anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Some business owners are realising this already and demanding options, but IT teams can often struggle in trying to keep up with the speed of change and managing the complexity it creates.

The reality is that many New Zealand businesses are still lagging behind when it comes to providing the kinds of mobility solutions for employees that match those in their personal lives. There are pockets of excellence for sure - but on the whole, we have some catching up to do with the rest of the world.

Kiwi companies need to think about how they are optimising mobility solutions for their employees and customers, otherwise they run the serious risk of losing them to competitors who are one step ahead on the mobility journey.

The world of mobility is moving fast, so if you are not keeping up, you’ll find it difficult to retain talented workers who could keep you at the forefront of your industry, as well as customers growing accustomed to doing business and transacting on the go.

By removing the boundaries of the physical workplace, so employees and customers have ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to information, companies can become more agile, increase competitiveness and innovation, and ultimately become more successful.

Quality data and voice networks, mobile applications and device and service management each play a critical role in enabling mobility.

On the network front, Gen-i is combining a range of technologies – including fibre, 3G, 4G and free WiFi – into a single platform for mobility. This integrated approach is about delivering great voice and data experiences for our clients and their customers, in a way that’s cost effective and consistent.

And when you combine cloud delivered mobile apps with these high speed networks, they deliver increased collaboration and productivity, better engagement with staff and customers, and greater opportunity for customer engagement and insight.

Of course, with employees increasingly using their mobile devices for work alongside play, security and privacy issues also need to be addressed. Gen-i offers a range of device and service management solutions, but it’s great to see our technology partners also stepping up to the plate with new products that help address the dual work/play use on mobile devices.

Samsung KNOX™ is a stand-out as it allows users to keep work and personal data completely separate on their mobile, as well as providing the IT department with enterprise grade security and total control of business applications.

While it can be daunting for businesses to face the challenges of mobility, it’s also exciting. At the heart of it mobility is about making it easier for people to do their jobs, and for customers to communicate with businesses and purchase goods and services. Mobility frees up our time so we can do more, and enjoy what we’re doing more.

That’s why we’re offering managed “mobility as a service” – our ReadyCloud Mobility service – so our clients can move quickly to leverage the benefits of mobility without the usual capital outlay and lower customisation costs.

Consuming mobility as a service also enables clients to relax knowing we’ll manage and keep things up to date as devices, operating systems and applications change.

Companies that sort their mobility will be the winners, because planning for mobility is now synonymous with planning for growth. Individuals, companies – and even countries – that want to grow will put mobile solutions at the top of their priority list.

The main thing that businesses need to realise is that mobility is not a fad. It’s here, and it’s real. You can unleash the benefits of mobility for your business.

Once you experience it, you won’t go back.

By Dave Shennan - Gen-i Head of Mobility