"What will be the key mobile and wireless technology trends through 2011? How will the mobile strategies of wireless service providers, device manufacturers and software companies evolve? How will corporations choose and use mobility?" These are just three out of several hundred questions and possible scenarios, accompanied by strategic planning assumptions, presented by Gartner, and large corporate, executives at the Gartner Wireless and Mobile conference this week in Grapevine, TX. I attended the conference to get a look at the current status and future trends in wireless and mobile technology to assist my clients in determining their best investment strategies.
Several points struck me as significant:
- The attendees I came in contact with were executives who have plans to select a platform/architecture this year. In one session with about 200 people in attendance, most raised their hands when the speaker asked, "Who's buying this year?" Wireless and mobile technology is significant and strategic for many corporations.
- The attendance of vendors seemed poor considering the position and influence of attendees who will be making near-term buying decisions. Don't vendors want to be leaders in the corporate wireless and mobile market?
- Multiple vendor technologies are required to create a high-quality solution, and that trend is predicted to last well into the future. Vendor relationship management, collaboration and internal technical expertise are just a few of the skills required to provide adequate service to the enterprise and especially to build innovative solutions for customers.
- If your company is new to the field of wireless and mobile, don't be overly concerned. Many attendees came to learn about the technology and terminology. I talked to many who agreed that a guide to terms and configurations would have been quite useful.
- Attendees were interested in the technology for internal use and to improve their services and interactions with clients.
One of Gartner's key messages is, "Get started now." There is a learning curve. Experience with the technology can only be an advantage going forward and it will aid you in making better decisions as you progress. You also need adequate time to examine business processes in order to identify and capitalize on opportunities for innovation and to deliver solutions quickly. Call me to discuss how we can get your company started in developing a wireless and mobile architecture to achieve and sustain a global competitive advantage.
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