Keeping it all together with Windows Mobile

Paul Dadge, Senior Consultant, PC Paramedics.it Paul Dadge is a Senior Consultant with PC Paramedics.it, a Microsoft Small Business Specialist based in Cannock, South Staffordshire. He has been working with small business customers for 15 years, helping them to ‘go mobile’ and enabling the employees to access company resources remotely.

Question: The current downturn means my colleagues and I are spending a lot more time out on the road chasing business, so we need to pick up messages and keep track of our diaries on the move. Is there a way we can synchronise email, calendar appointments and Outlook contacts between our PCs and mobile phones? - Richard, Brighton

Answer: Hi Richard. You’re absolutely right - staying competitive these days means you really have to be mobile, which in itself can presents challenges – not least staying in touch while you're out and about. That’s never more true than for smaller companies where it’s a case of “all hands on deck”.

The words ‘email’ and ‘mobile phone’ often conjure up the BlackBerry – which is fine if all you need is to send and receive email and texts. But for a small business like yours, there are more cost-effective solutions to help you perform as efficiently away from the office as in it.

How business really works…
You see, it’s never just about email. Take, for instance, a typical customer call to the office with a request to see you. You are out on the road. Your colleagues need to be able to access your schedule, book a slot, update your calendar, then send a message to your mobile, updating your calendar and notifying you of the change.

Similarly, if you’re with a customer and you want to book a follow-up meeting, you need to be able to consult your calendar via your mobile, enter the appointment, then update your schedule so that those back at base know your availability at all times.

In other words, you need to ensure that the same up-to-date information is available whether you’re on the move or sat at your desk. To do this requires a robust solution that keeps your mobile phone in tune with the data held on your company’s server and on your PC.

Our answer to this is any of the wide range of phones running Windows Mobile. It extends the familiar Windows operating system and Office programs to your mobile and helps you to intuitively stay in touch with colleagues, customers and data while on the move. By the way, Windows Mobile smartphones come in all shapes and sizes, so you won’t need to sacrifice having the sort of phone which matches your lifestyle.

Getting in sync
With Windows Mobile, you can of course send and receive emails using your mobile just like you do on your computer. Where it really scores, though, is in the simple process of syncing up with your computer. That means you can easily access your files whether you’re sitting in your office or waiting at the airport; and your calendar, emails and contact list need never be out of date.

This of course means that you’ll never find yourself fumbling for phone numbers whilst sitting in a lay-by on a rainy night, trying to work out where you should be. It also means that, at a time when data retention is a priority for all, you won’t lose your data if you happen to lose the hardware. And if you think that won’t happen to you, remember that in 2008 over 60,000 mobiles and laptops were left in London taxis alone! So regular syncing is good for your business, and good for your heart rate, too.

As well as hooking up directly into your PC, you can sync most Windows Mobile phones over-the-air, through your mobile operator or at a wireless hotspot. In either case, there are basically three steps required - follow the links for more information and advice:

The office in your pocket
Richard, in your question you mentioned that staying in touch was a big priority. Outlook Mobile is the program that keeps you connected to your email, calendar and contacts using the familiar Outlook features that you know from your PC. You can use it to:

And because your phone is inherently personal, Outlook Mobile can become extra helpful: set it to ring and vibrate to remind you of appointments, or give people their own ringtones to identify them when they call.

With the Windows Mobile operating system on your phone, you can also add Office Mobile; which gives you versions of the familiar Microsoft programs and services you already have on your PC (in fact, Office Mobile comes pre-installed on phones from many providers). Windows Mobile also lets you download third-party software to customise your mobile, such as maps, e-books and business software.

In short, Windows Mobile is an easy way to let you do on your mobile almost everything you’d normally do on your PC; with the reliability and simplicity of knowing that you’re always synced up and looking at one single version of your files. For a small business like yours, it’s a cost-effective solution that will make you more productive with little outlay and fast returns.

If you have any further questions, I recommend you contact your local Microsoft Small Business Specialist who will be able to advise you further.

--Paul

Related Links

Windows Mobile

Wi-Fi hotspot locator

Overview of Windows Mobile Device Center settings

Microsoft Forum: ActiveSync/Windows Mobile Device Center