Posts

Showing posts from August, 2010

Education and SAP Enterprise Mobility

Image
Last week I wrote an article pondering how management strategies may need to change to take advantage of both current and emerging mobile technologies.  My reasoning is that simply placing mobile devices in the hands of a mobile workforce does not on its own improve the business.  Mobile technology is simply a way of enabling new and improved business processes and management practices.  To me this means management needs to be educated. The SVP of National Customer Solutions Delivery, Tony Geheran at TELUS recently stated, " Efficient and effective management of our large mobile workforce is critical to the success of our business.”  The important part to note about this statement is that efficient and effective managing is the key to success, not mobile technology.  Mobile technology is an enabler, not the end goal. I read recently that one SAP mobility partner, Clicksoftware, is advocating the combination of technology with educational services to help businesses find the ri

Apple Stores and Motorola No More

Image
In December of 2007 I wrote a blog article questioning why Apple was using the Motorola MC50 handheld computers and Microsoft Mobile operating systems in their stores rather than their own devices and operating systems.  Every time I popped into an Apple store for the next couple of years I would see the same thing.  However, last month I noted that all the Apple sales associates were carrying the Apple iTouch with a sleeve that appeared to have an integrated barcode reader. I interpreted this development to be a measure of progress that Apple has made toward supporting enterprise requirements.  Early on, Apple would not use their own solutions for enterprise class POS and retail applications but now in 2010 they do. The iTouch was using an integrated barcode reader which is a good step toward field data collection.  It seems reasonable to assume it could also integrate with RFID and any number of additional Bluetooth enabled data capture accessories. I wonder if there would be a

Systems Integrators and SAP Enterprise Mobility

One measure of the level of maturity in a technology market is if a systems integrator can do the work, rather than the original solution developer.  Today, most SAP enterprise mobility vendors are still doing their own work.  Why?  The solutions are new, dynamic, rapidly expanding and ahead of adequate documentation and systems integrator training programs. It is still rare to see systems integrators using SAP mobility solutions from vendors.  It is still very common to see systems integrators custom building their own mobile applications.  This however, is not in the best interest of SAP customers in the long term.  Out of the box solutions are generally more stable.  They have been tested for longer periods of time and often have more companies using them in production environments. I was interested to read that ENERGY4U, a German-based consulting and implementation firm was implementing SMART Work Manager from Syclo for use with the SAP® ERP application for RheinEnergie, a Ger

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly - August 26, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends. You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html . ******** Garmin is recalling 1.25 million GPS devices, most of which were sold in America, because their batteries could overheat and cause fires, the company said Thursday.  The affected units contain batteries made by a third-party supplier, and almost 800,000 were sold in America. http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/26/technology/garmin_recall/index.htm?hpt=T2 ******** The news of Intel acquiring McAfee for nearly $8 billion caught the tech world off guard and perplexed analysts at face value. The fact is that it doesn't make much sense based on the Intel and McAfee of today, but as t

SAP Enterprise Mobility and Management Education

Image
I have been thinking a lot lately about how management, and the art of managing, needs to evolve with the advancement and progress in mobile technology.  It is not just mobile devices that change, but a whole list of new capabilities that are now available to a manager.  I wonder how many managers have adapted their management styles and practices, and re-engineered their business processes to take advantage of these mobile features and capabilities? What do you think?  Do you see managers staying on top of new mobile capabilities, or are they managing the same way they did in a disconnected world?  Let me provide just one example.  Earlier this year Syclo connected their mobile applications to the SAP global support backbone.  This is a great step that recognizes the importance of mobility to the enterprise, but how many managers know what this means and how to use it effectively?  Here are some details. Syclo’s mobile applications now connect to the SAP global support backbone

More on How You Advise an Enterprise on Mobility

Image
Last week, in a blog article , I discussed the challenges of preparing to consult with a company and advise them on issues related to enterprise mobility.  I shared that it is helpful to send questions in advance so you know what kind of environment you are walking into.  Since that article I have thought of a few more questions which I have listed here: Do you need an SDK (software development kit) to customize and/or edit your own mobile applications? Do you want to develop your own mobile application in-house, buy off-the-shelf or contract with a third party for a custom mobile application? If you want to develop in-house, are your stakeholders patient enough to wait for the final product? What are the costs to the business of not delivering on time?  If you develop in-house, who will support new versions of the mobile operating systems and new mobile devices? Which business unit will budget to pay for upgrades to mobile operating systems and mobile devices?  They change every f

Saving Billions with the Help of Enterprise Mobility Solutions, Part 2

Image
In the UK the water utilities and the government wanted to find ways of reducing water consumption so they could delay or avoid building new water reservoirs.  You can image how difficult and costly it is to build new water reservoirs in populated areas!    The water utilities and the government, which own a significant number of council houses, developed a program in which they would send inspectors out to inspect water usage and recommend ways of reducing it. The company that was awarded the inspection work contacted me to help them mobilize this system.  Here is a high level view on how I remember the process worked: Mail was sent to the council house addresses announcing the program. Inspection visits were scheduled. Inspectors were dispatched to a certain number of homes each day. Minutes before the inspectors were to arrive, the home owners were called to make sure they were home. The inspectors inspected all of the plumbing and appliances for leaks, and other areas whe

Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 25, 2010

Welcome to Kevin's M2M News Weekly. This is an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices that I read each week. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market. You can read archived editions of Kevin's M2M News Weekly at http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/m2m.html. Also available are Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly and Kevin’s Enterprise Mobility Blog . ******** According to a recent IE Market Research forecast, the worldwide market for GPS powered navigation and location-based services will grow from $1.6 billion in 2009 to $13.4 billion in 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate of 51.3 percent. http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/slideshow/5-ipad-navigation-apps-offer-new-directions-location-based-

Saving Billions with the Help of Enterprise Mobility Solutions, Part 1

Image
I worked on a mobility project a few years ago with a very large construction and engineering firm that did contract work for water and electrical utilities in the UK.  They came to me with a need to survey and inspect council houses.  Council housing is a form of public or social housing in the United Kingdom. Council houses are built and operated by local councils to provide uncrowded, well built homes on secure tenancies at below market rents to primarily working class individuals. The contractor asked me to provide consulting on how to mobilize up to 3,000 inspectors all around the UK to go to council houses and inspect them for ways to conserve both energy and water.  The number 3,000 had a magical ring to it so I agreed. I flew to Newcastle where I met with the team and found out their real motivation for wanting to inspect the houses and mobilize their inspectors.  Their real motivation was a desire to save billions in Sterling!  If they could inspect the houses, recommend way

Kevin Benedict on TechEd 2010 in Las Vegas and Enterprise Mobility

Image
This week I registered for SAP's TechEd 2010 Las Vegas.  I am excited about it this year - the year of mobility!  SAP's 2010 focus is - on premise, on demand and on device.  MOBILE device that is.   I will be teaching a session on The Future of Enterprise Mobility .  I have seen the conference agenda and it is packed full of sessions on mobility.  I hope to see all of you there! TechEd is a conference designed for those that do the real work.  The developers, architects, business analysts and IT teams.  It is a place to get real answers, not just the marketing messages.  I filmed a brief video about TechEd and why I like it and uploaded it to the SAP Mentor channel on YouTube. I hope to see you there!!!  I will be wearing a cool SAP Mentor rugby shirt with "Benedict" written on my back.  Come introduce yourself to me! *************************************************** Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst Phone +1

Report on the SAP Sybase Executive Briefing on August 19th

Image
I was fortunate to have attended yesterday's SAP Sybase Executive Briefing in Boston.  Also attending were SAP Mentors, Jon Reed and Susan Keohan, "the workflow goddess."  There was a lot covered, but in this report I am going to focus on what I learned about enterprise mobility there.  First, I will provide some impressions and then drill into some details.  Keep in mind that this is my biased interpretation (i.e. analysis) of what I heard. The SAP team wanted to communicate that SAP is a different company, with different management now.  They want to leave the slow, grinding and bureaucratic company and image behind.  They want to be passionate about innovation and technology again.  They want to excite the markets and excite customers with brilliance and innovation.  I was given off-the-record insight into changes in personnel that were intended to support this change. I heard several themes at the briefing - game changer and transformational innovation.  SAP bel

SAP and Sybase Press Release on Enterprise Mobility Roadmap - August 19, 2010

http://www.sap.com/about/newsroom/press.epx?pressID=13780 Highlight:   The companies will integrate the SAP NetWeaver® Mobile component and SAP® BusinessObjects™ Mobile software with Sybase Unwired Platform to deliver a single mobile development and deployment platform with integrated analytics. BOSTON, Mass. and FRANKFURT, Germany - August 19, 2010 - At a co-located event today in Boston and Frankfurt, company leaders from SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and Sybase came together for the first time to share the strategy and joint product direction for the newly combined companies. In a bold move that brings together established industry leaders and changes the game for enterprise mobility, SAP announced its intent to acquire Sybase on May 12, 2010. In the few months since that time, the two companies have moved quickly to create product road maps and innovations to transform the way people and businesses work. The combined companies now represent the market-leading position in enterprise applic

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly - August 19, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends. You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html . ******** Mobile devices are overtaking PCs. In a nutshell, what we are seeing in smartphones is bigger than anything that has come before it. Much bigger than the PC. And it is coming so fast that we don't realize what's happening. http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/08/11/the-great-game-mobile-devices-overtaking-pcs/?hpt=Sbin ******** ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should in Enterprise Mobility

Image
I have been pondering various enterprise mobility strategies this week.  I asked myself the question, "Is it better to be an enterprise mobility generalist or a business process expert that mobilizes their solutions?"  What do you think? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.   I believe that ultimately having deep vertical expertise makes your position more defensible.  If you have industry expertise, and it is reflected in your mobile solutions, you will provide greater value to your customer. Let's use the example of SAP Workforce Scheduling and Optimization .  This is a specialized solution that addresses a specific category of problems.  SAP sought a partnership with industry expert Clicksoftware for this solution.  SAP sales teams now sell this solution globally and it is on the SAP pricelist as an SAP branded solution with the suffix "by Clicksoftware."  SAP sought industry expertise for this solution.  The mobile applications that are a

Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 18, 2010

Welcome to Kevin's M2M News Weekly. This is an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices that I read each week. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market. You can read archived editions of Kevin's M2M News Weekly at http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/m2m.html . Also available are Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly and Kevin’s Enterprise Mobility Blog . ******** Within the past 18 months Numerex has quietly positioned their business for strong growth in revenues and profits. Financially they are strong and getting stronger. Long term debt has been reduced to zero, cash is growing and stands at $7.5 million or about 50 cents per share, and non-GAAP net income (before legal expenses) was $1.8 million or about 1

Extending Mobile Business Processes in Boise

Image
A friend of mine here in Boise, Jon Young  developed a very interesting mobile application on Android.  The application is a great example of the concept of extending business processes. The application works much like the popular RedLaser iPhone application in that it can scan an ISBN barcode on a book cover and then automatically look it up.  The special part of the application is that it looks up the book in the local library system.  It will show the book's status and allow you to reserve the book if available.  You can read more about it on Jon's blog . Think about this - you see a book that looks really interesting in a bookstore.  You can use Redlaser to look up the price at other locations or use Jon's mobile application to look it up in the Boise Library System, check the status, and reserve it.  The Boise Library System also delivers the book free to the local library location of your choice and emails you when the book arrives.  This entire process can be