When you hear the term “mobile strategy,” what comes to mind? Do you think it’s a meaningless term? Does it remind you of your company’s total lack of a BYOD policy? Or do you tend to ponder how a mobile strategy can best help you reach customers?
The term “mobile strategy” is so much more than a buzzword. It’s actually vital that your business have one. Read on to learn what it means and how you can put one into place.
What a “Mobile Strategy” Means
A mobile strategy has two meanings. The first definition is an enterprise’s plan of how to deal with the proliferation of employee mobile devices. It addresses issues such as which devices the IT department supports, which apps employees can use for work, and balancing security with the user experience.
Mobile strategy’s second definition deals with how companies can connect with consumers through the mobile platform. It answers questions such as, “Do we need an app?” “What are our customers’ favorite operating systems and platforms?” and “How can we keep user data secure?”
Why Both Mobile Strategies Matter
You might be asking, “Can’t I just focus on one mobile strategy as opposed to another?” The answer to that is, “Not if you want to succeed.”
You need an internal mobile strategy because your employees are bringing in a wide variety of devices to access corporate data. They’re using applications that have varying levels of security, which puts your corporate network at risk. And they’re asking the IT department to provide support for these devices, which pressures an overworked team to do more with fewer resources.
An external mobile strategy is crucial because your current customers are using their smartphones and tablets everywhere, all the time. Can they find you? And if they can, what are they going to find? Will your customers be able to get the information they need from you with the click of a button, or will they have to dig for several minutes before finding an answer which doesn’t quite work?
How to Develop Both Mobile Strategies
The idea of developing two mobile strategies, let alone one, overwhelms many businesses. There can be such confusion and frustration associated with the idea of a mobile strategy that many firms abandon it before they get anywhere.
However, developing an external and internal mobile strategy doesn’t have to be a headache or worse, a nightmare. You don’t have to go it alone – there are plenty of consultants who have the skills and abilities to formulate both types of mobile strategies.
If you decide not to use the services of a consultant, be aware that you’ll need to do some research to craft an internal and external mobile strategy. For an internal mobile strategy, you’ll need to know which devices your employees are using, which apps are enterprise-appropriate, and how to protect your networks while making sure everyone’s productive. An external mobile strategy requires knowledge of your customers’ preferences, history, and interactions with the company.
Formulating these mobile strategies is an investment of time and money. You’ll discover the returns are well worth it, though.
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