Author: Yogi Schulz
Summary : Enhance the value of the IT investment you’ve already made by adding mobile access to applications.
Which of these annoyances do you experience the minute you leave your office?
- No access to my e-mail, contacts or calendar?
- Can’t read files on the company server?
- Browsing the Web becomes impossible?
- Can’t check customer addresses or confirm directions?
- No access to my company applications?
- Lost the ability to collaborate with team members?
You can eliminate these annoyances with mobile access to applications through Windows Mobile PDA’s. With mobile access you can improve business performance by staying in touch easily.
To access a multimedia overview, click here:Windows Mobile for Business
In inventory analysis, BI typically produces business value by identifying over- and under-investment situations that are easily missed.
On This Page
- Mobile access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM
- Mobile access to Microsoft Dynamics Field Service Anywhere
- Mobile access to Microsoft Exchange Server
Mobile access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM
CRM Mobile Express on your Windows Mobile PDA provides mobile access to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM application back at the office.
The value of mobile access to CRM for your sales force lies in being able to respond to the inevitable changes that occur as the day progresses. No matter how well your sales staff plans their day, some event will trigger a rearrangement of priorities. For example, a prospect wants to defer an appointment, a traffic jam creates delays or a customer unexpectedly wants to close a deal today.
With mobile access to CRM, sales staff can view customer contact information as well as meeting and sales history without having to return to the office.
In this case study, a specialty chemicals and materials company,Cytec Industries, employs a mobile solution to improve customer focus.
Mobile access to Microsoft Dynamics Field Service Anywhere
Field Service Anywhere in Microsoft Dynamics enables technicians to use Windows Mobile PDA to receive, prioritize and respond to service calls. Access to the customer’s equipment list and its service history improves the likelihood of problem resolution with a single call. The ability to complete the service record on the spot, on the mobile device, leads to more complete service records and more accurate billing. The integrated map application, when linked to GPS, improves technician productivity by reducing driving time.
The value of mobile access for your customers is reduced equipment down time through improved responsiveness. That performance builds loyalty and leads to repeat business. The value to your company is quicker response times, more problem resolutions with a single call and increased profitability. The value to your field service technicians is a greater sense of accomplishment and better work/life balance.
In this case study, a telecommunications company,Insyte Instalaciones, boosts field technician efficiency with a mobile solution.
Mobile access to Microsoft Exchange Server
A Windows Mobile PDA running Microsoft Outlook Mobile and the Office Mobile suite can make connections to Microsoft Exchange Server, SharePoint and file shares back at the office. The mobile software provides complete access to data to effectively collaborate with team members and to make decisions on the go. The Office Mobile suite enables mobile staff to view Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
The value of mobile access for your staff and business partners is continuous collaboration that reduces cycle times. For example, design deliberation cycles are compressed to shorten time-to-market for new products. In other situations, problem resolution times are reduced because more staff is aware of the problem and can contribute ideas to the resolution. With mobile access none of this value is interrupted by staff being out of the office or in different time zones. The value to your staff is a greater sense of contribution and better morale.
In this case study, a leading manufacturer of cameras and digital imaging products, Nikon Corporation, improves time-to-market for new products by enabling inter-company collaboration.
Yogi Schulz is a Calgary, Alberta-based contributing writer to the Microsoft Midsize Business Center. His work has appeared in Computing Canada, EDGE, The Calgary Herald and Microsoft Ideas. He typically consults with CIO’s in the energy, government and real estate industries.
