S4B SOLUTIONS GUIDE

Your Guide to Successful Mobile Integration with UC

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Introduction

Unified Communications (UC) has transformed the way enterprises do business.

Converging voice and data on the same network has eliminated redundant costs. The nearly ubiquitous adoption of personal mobile devices, conferencing and video solutions has enabled UC vendors to extend traditional telephony services to the mobile phone. Yet, many industries such as healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and retail have found that some consumer-grade mobile devices are too fragile to withstand these demanding environments. A more enterprise-grade mobility solution is required.

Transformative technologies such as Wi-Fi and the cloud make it possible to access and deploy mobile voice and data across an organization, wherever people are, and through a single enterprise mobile device.

The outcome of this consolidation is improved productivity, lower cost and enhanced customer satisfaction.

6 critical steps to adopting a mobile strategy

Yet, because UC systems are already complex, adding mobility can seem like a risky proposition. This guide outlines 6 critical steps to consider when adopting a mobile UC strategy. With careful execution, you can ensure your workers have the tools they need to access co-workers and data—from anywhere in the organization—while on the go to improve decision making and boost your bottom line.

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Focus on the primary goal with a well-defined vision

Your company’s vision clearly defines what your organization expects to achieve.

By identifying these goals—whether it be improving patient care, increasing sales or minimizing costs—you can avoid confusion and achieve better business alignment.

Once defined, a detailed plan is needed to clearly identify what success will look like and how will it be measured. If you’re like many service-oriented businesses, success often means the ability to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges. Giving workers access to the information they need, in real time, can deliver a competitive advantage.

STEP 1

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Retail

In retail, for example, the goal may be to increase revenue by $X per store. Having more associates on the floor means they can more quickly engage with customers, respond to alerts or triggers and look for new opportunities to enhance their customers’ in-store shopping experiences.

STEP 1

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Manufacturing

In manufacturing, the goal may be to lower product overhead and provide more accurate, just-in-time delivery. Managers with access to suppliers and resources can track the location of parts, pinpoint any schedule disruptions and make decisions regarding expedited inventory to improve production. Decisions don’t have to be delayed when information is available. Managers can make real-time adjustments from anywhere in the building.

STEP 1

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Take inventory of your critical business processes

A successful mobile deployment begins with a list of workflows that your teams follow to accomplish daily tasks.

These processes provide a shared understanding of the business and may lead to discussions on ways to improve.

Enlisting key representatives within your organization is necessary to examine the needs of each team, and align technologies and processes.

By looking closely at the various workflows, data and teams, everyone can gain clear alignment and identify roadblocks in the processes.

STEP 2

WORKFLOW TEAMS

DATA

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END USER NEED BUSINESS OUTCOME IT ALIGNMENT

What processes do my mobile workers engage in?

Customer service, product delivery, time to market

Which processes would be enhanced with mobility?

What applications do team members use? How often?

Faster decision making, collaboration, efficiency gains

Do they have all the applications they need? Even when away from their desks?

What critical information do users need access to?

Faster decision making, collaboration, efficiency gains

Can they seamlessly connect to all systems and data? How do they use the data? Do they need permission to change it?

Do users encounter any security or privacy threats?

Compliance, data protection, customer safety

What security measures do we have in place to minimize the risk?

(at the system level, application level, etc.)

How many devices do workers use each day? Efficiency, productivity, cost savings Are there areas for consolidation?

Sample questions

STEP 2

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Assess your IT infrastructure

Assessing your company’s current infrastructure and technology assets provides clarity into the opportunities and limitations that are inherent in your environment.

Mobile UC improves the speed and flexibility of communication, however, any DECT infrastructure or Wi-Fi network must be designed with both voice and data in mind. Is your current communications network able to handle continuous voice and data traffic? Adequate bandwidth and coverage is necessary to support calls, video conferencing, seamless roaming and multi-client usage.

Keep in mind that your wireless solution must work in all areas of your building as well, including elevators, stairwells, etc. Make sure your infrastructure can accommodate wireless communication throughout your facility.

Site assessment

A site assessment can be helpful in analyzing your current infrastructure and technologies within the context of your workflows. It often begins with a comprehensive review of your facilities to identify “communication hubs” that may need additional bandwidth or physical locations where wireless connectivity may be weak.

STEP 3

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Evaluate enterprise mobility solutions

While there are numerous mobile solutions available, including consumer-grade devices or a BYOD strategy, few offer the reliability and coverage to support more demanding enterprise environments like healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and retail. Mobile workers within business environments need solutions that offer:

Reliable network connectivity

Provides reliable and ubiquitous communication for team collaboration. In many cases, mobile coverage within a building may be spotty or nonexistent. It is critical that enterprise devices support seamless roaming across the network, particularly for UC applications like voice and video conferencing. This provides reliable and ubiquitous communication for team collaboration.

Durability

Most consumer-grade smartphones can’t withstand the typical bumps and drops that occur during normal use. And in some industries, like healthcare, these devices are not easy to clean or disinfect. When reviewing your options, thoroughly test to make sure these solutions are built to last.

Seamless integration

IT teams are being tasked to integrate disparate legacy systems with next-generation solutions that are secure, mobile and cloud-based. Modern solutions need to be qualified and certified to work with your existing infrastructure and communication platforms, while offering flexibility via an open platform to adopt new technologies and applications.

Complete device management

Visibility and control of your mobile devices ensures you can keep technology assets connected, updated and running smoothly 24x7. Ensure day-to-day device management is available at your fingertips, from analytics that help to determine the health of your devices to remote management and provisioning to simplify software updates, configuration changes and new feature enhancements.

Having more insight into and control over your network can help eliminate administrative headaches, improve service levels and reduce downtime, all of which save you money.

STEP 4

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STEP 5

Determine proper management and governance

As a part of the IT team, you often face competing objectives, from satisfying employee demand for greater mobile access to ensuring the security of corporate data by putting limits in place.

Consistency in policy will help break down silos and ensure each department is executing on the same strategy.

Training and communication are key to keeping employees informed of what is and is not permissible with their mobile devices. The lack of a complete end-to-end strategy and awareness leads to greater risk, potential long-term administrative issues, and ultimately, greater cost to the company.

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Initiate a test pilot

A pilot program, or proof of concept, enables you to “test and tinker” with the proposed technology to ensure it addresses your unique business needs.

You can track KPIs to get a baseline of performance metrics, as well as gain feedback from users on existing and future processes.

Initial rollout

As an initial rollout, a pilot lets you test the proposed solution within a limited scope. It may consist of deploying a specific number of mobile devices within a particular facility or engage a certain department to test their unique workflows. The purpose of the rollout is to verify functionality and determine whether the proposed system works as designed.

STEP 6

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY

STRATEGY

END USER DESIGN

QUALITY OUTCOMES

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Conclusion

Successful businesses today focus on listening and responding to customer needs and delivering solutions to address them.

UC brings tighter collaboration among workers, and mobility, by its nature, helps companies respond quickly to new opportunities. Understanding your vision, assessing workflows and implementing an end-to-end mobility infrastructure is the first step to increasing productivity and decision making. It’s a business strategy that ensures your organization does not get left behind.

About Spectralink

Spectralink delivers secure, cost-effective mobile communication solutions that empower enterprises to streamline operations, increase their revenues and deliver a positive customer experience—each and every time. Since 1990, Spectralink has deployed millions of devices worldwide across the healthcare, retail, hospitality and manufacturing sectors—providing workers with the industry’s most efficient, in-building communications solutions.

Visit www.spectralink.com for more information.

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