The Apple Watch is officially upon us. With pre-orders arriving at consumers’ doorsteps and in-store availability expected this summer, the next device du jour has made its debut. So what does this have to do with the enterprise, you ask? Well, if you’ll remember, not too long ago the iPhone came along and turned enterprises and IT departments on their heads. Consumers wanted to use their new devices in the workplace, and organizations were forced to accommodate that to ensure continued employee satisfaction and productivity. So it should come as no surprise that consumers already want (and expect) the same enterprise functionality from their smartwatches.
As such, it’s clear that businesses must map out how they’re going to tackle this next iteration of IT consumerization if they’re going to be successful. There is no doubt that there will be plenty of challenges that come with the adoption of smartwatches and wearables. But along with those challenges, this business imperative also presents an incredible wealth of yet-unrealized benefits and opportunities. Get ready enterprises – the Bring Your Own Wearable (BYOW) era is here.
Here are bigtincan’s top considerations for enterprises facing BYOW:
Focus on improving productivity: With the advent of wearables, enterprises will need to be prepared for the new way that employees will work with, manage and engage with content. This will include simple functions such as employees being able to receive real-time/relevant updates on their watches and voice note-taking that syncs across devices. Imagine being a field service technician, for example, who needs to dictate notes while 200 feet up on an industrial wind turbine – voice note-taking that enables the dictation of repair logs via smartwatch could be a huge value add. By focusing on delivering smartwatch solutions that actually improve how people do their jobs, companies have an unparalleled opportunity to increase productivity and ROI— surpassing previous goals and achievements.
Tackle security concerns head on: As with any new device or solution, enterprises are bound to face security concerns. How will employees access company information? Will content and data be automatically synced across devices? The list goes on. And because the applications and services that run on the Watch are tied to applications that are running on a companion iPhone – meaning employees will be able to control content that exists on their phones from the Apple Watch – organizations need to be prepared to tackle this security and productivity challenge head on. At the end of the day, wearables and smartphones may both contain secure or restricted information, and enterprises need to adopt an integrated approach to ensure information is secure, and productivity unhampered, across every device.
Work with your existing infrastructure: Most organizations that are going to face the BYOW paradigm have already spent significant time and resources to build their existing IT infrastructure. Very few have the resources to rebuild that infrastructure simply because there is a new device on the block. Instead, organizations that are able to properly extend existing best practices, such as content governance, compliance, access and ownership, to every wearable across the enterprise, the more effective and productive these devices will be for employees.
While organizations face real challenges with the onset of BYOW, there are also clear businesses benefits and tangible advantages to be gained by being prepared for and utilizing wearables in the enterprise. Not to mention, your employees will thank you for it.
To learn more about preparing for BYOW and how bigtincan hub for Apple Watch can provide the support your organization needs to reap business benefits and utilize smartwatches and wearables, please contact sales@bigtincan.com.
