5 ways Smartphones & servers boost productivity
Staying productive is enough of a challenge when you're in the office. Distractions from co-workers, demanding customers and technology difficulties can suck away your day.
But getting anything done when you're out of the office ... now you're asking for the impossible. There's the stress of air travel, of staying in a hotel, renting a car, and just being away from your office-and your office network-that can weigh down on your ability to accomplish anything at all.
It doesn't have to be that way.
Yes, business travel is a hassle. And when it comes to your company's technology, there's nothing that can be done about the seemingly endless airline delays or the creative new surcharges you face whenever you check out of the hotel.
But if you're packing a Smartphone or personal digital assistant running Microsoft Windows Mobile, you can maintain your productivity when you're out of the office. And by adding Microsoft Small Business Server to the mix, you can ensure that you're almost never away from your company's data, your calendar or your address book.
Here are 5 ways your Smartphone, PDA and server can keep you productive while you're on the road:
1. Access your company's data now.
When paired with a Microsoft Small Business Server back at the office, your PDAs and smartphones become secure gateways to your company's network, says John Minor, a senior vice president at SimulScribe, a mobile communications company. "Being connected to your office server via a Smartphone allows for a mobile worker to function as if they are at their desk from the road," he says. "They have access to the data they normally wouldn't have without carrying a laptop." Best of all, the built-in functionality of Small Business Server allows it to create a high level of security. "And that helps your IT professionals sleep a little easier at night," he says.
2. Accomplish more, faster.
Phyllis Dunn, chief executive of SendUDirect, a mobile technology company, says the one-two combination of a server and phone makes everything go faster, and "will lead to better productivity." Why? Because the technology is made to work together. For example, a Smartphone is optimized for use with a Small Business Server-it's designed specifically to be used together-"so it's a great experience," she says. The phone interfaces with its Microsoft Exchange component, which allows you to process all of the information much faster than if you were trying to check e-mails from a Web browser on your mobile phone.
3. Turn your PDA into a collaboration tool.
You don't have to sacrifice tools like Sharepoint when you're out of the office or away from your laptop. "Sharepoint, which is server-based, can be made available through a mobile device," says Patrick Gilbert, chief executive of 4SmartPhone, which offers mobility solutions to small businesses. Access to Sharepoint ensures your employees can always contribute their best ideas, even when they're on a business trip. But Gilbert says that isn't the only benefit. "There is a definite advantage in having mobile workers enabled to connect to their company information while on the road, and it is much better to have that information on their server rather than using one of the numerous tools to connect to individual desktops," he says. The connection isn't only more secure, but also far more reliable than any other system.
4. Get your calendar, contacts and other important information.
"Your business can benefit from [that information] in real time," says Jen O'Connell, a wireless technology expert who is president of Voice of Wireless, an Atlanta-based mobile technology company. A server, she adds, is "a powerful tool that keeps your calendar, address book and task list organized in your wireless device. When combined with your work e-mail, it becomes a powerful business tool and a way to stay connected in a fast-paced world."
5. Keep your frustrations to a minimum.
Since the technology is made to work in tandem, the result is a superior user experience with fewer frustrations. And the less time you spend fixing something, the more time you have to work. "It makes it easier for the user," says Sean-Michael Daley, chief executive of Kannuu, a Dallas developer of mobile applications. Having virtually problem-free mobile technology minimizes your frustrations out of the office-and maximizes your productivity.
Given all that, there might be a temptation to leave your laptop back at the office. But think again, say experts. "While Smartphones and PDAs are powerful and very useful, they do not replace the laptop," says Carsten Brinkschulte, chief executive of Synchronica, a mobile device management company based in London. "It is thought that since these devices are so advanced, they have the same capabilities as the laptop. And that simply is not true."
At least not yet. But for now, there are a lot of things your mobile devices can do - probably a lot more than you thought they could. Which, along with your laptop, makes them the ideal travel companion and productivity-enhancing tool for your small business.