Mobile Access to All Your Information
Mobile devices — everyone has one, so why aren’t we using them to access our information?
Whether an iPhone, Android, iPad, or Windows Surface is common place. It seems some people are physically attached to their devices. Even at work there is Mobile Access constant checking of the personal device. So if we are so comfortable with our mobile access why don’t we see more people using these products to get and review their business data?
Three reasons.
The majority of the existing systems at corporations were built pre-mobile device.
So they just don’t work in this realm. Some companies have “mobilized” their systems, but often these solutions are dreadful, as they attempt to extend existing screens and functionality to the mobile user without redesigning for the new screen sizes and navigation methods.
IT departments are downright scared to provide this access.
Most often the devices communicating with their internal systems are not corporate owned devices so IT has little to no control over the type of device, the app and version being used, and the downloading and saving of information. If this includes access to intellectual property, it’s even scarier.
Users are not yet comfortable using mobile as a primary means of access.
For many hardcopy is still the media of choice (this is, of course, changing quickly). The usability of corporate systems on mobile access is still way behind consumer apps, which have set the bar for many people. And, unfortunately, media hype over security breaches still frightens many users who are uncertain how secure their communications and downloads are.
It’s your data and you should have access to it, regardless of where you are.
We have an easy solution, just use the browser on your device. Every mobile device has a default browser, whether Safari, Android’s Internet, Internet Explorer, or other popular browsers. We don’t expect users to download and maintain apps, especially those IT is not aware of.
Studies show 90% of what people want to see on their mobile device (for business) is data they have already looked at (including emails, documents, and drawings). This data is all encapsulated in a file, in one format or another. Putting these files in a system where they can be managed and secured also gives us the opportunity to provide the information users want from their mobile devices.
And using a web browser without an app has an additional benefit. Actual files are never downloaded, only file images are streamed to the requester, reducing the access time while keeping the actual native file secure.
It’s your data, use it when you need it, wherever you are, and feel secure.