With so many great mobile applications out there, why have small and medium sized businesses continued to do business as usual and not adopt these great solutions?
In 2003, I founded Diversiform Wireless Solutions and we tried (unsuccessfully for the most part) to drive adoption of mobile solutions such Field Force automation. Almost all the clients we worked with saw the benefits and the solutions we did deploy were of excellent quality (some are still in use today). However, the lack of affordable tools put our stuff out of reach of most small prospects so business wasn’t good.
Today is a different story altogether. Applications are mostly Software as a Service and come with low monthly fees. Devices are better and cheaper than ever before and Networks are faster.
Even with all these factors, mobile business applications make up just a fraction of carrier revenue in Canada. Again I ask, Why?
In my mind, no provider has yet cracked the secret formula of convincing 45+ year old business owners that new technology is their friend. These owners/managers grew up before there was a computer in every home and they are used to doing business the way they’ve always done it.
There are of course exceptions as we’ve worked with a few really forward thinking clients over the years. For the most part though many still do not get it. Mobile technology can improve productivity, reduce costs, speed billing cycles, all things small businesses want.
I’ve realized that to be successful, I have to be part educator and part salesman. I have to have great products that are:
- Easy to understand
- Easy to Use and
- Have tangible benefits for reasonable cost
I then need to take my message to people and show them the benefits I outlined above. So that’s what I’m going to do. I hope to create and ecosystem that will support the great stuff we’re building.
see you out there!
