Telecom / mobility / IT: Technology Radically Changing Business Outcomes
Kelly Teal, Senior Research Analyst
INTRODUCTION: GETTING THE MOST FROM TECHNOLOGY
An enterprise doesn’t necessarily have to have the latest technology to enable new types of business results – it just needs the insight and vision to use technology in new ways to achieve positive business outcomes such as adding market share or gaining competitive advantage. Leading- edge capabilities can help make this happen faster or more smoothly, of course, yet for the most part, enterprises can realize successful outcomes through strategic vision and smart implementation of proven telecom, mobility and IT assets and services. This can be done internally or, perhaps ideally, with the help of vendors that have gleaned expertise from numerous other client deployments. This Analyst Perspective report explores and recommends key ways to use technology to radically change business outcomes. Vendors will want to use the report as supporting material for the ways in which they impact enterprises’ business objectives.
WHAT ENTERPRISE RESPONDENTS REPORT
Desirable outcomes vary depending on a business’s goals. However, AOTMP Research & Advisory has determined that, across an organization, telecom, mobility and IT done right should deliver a range of possible business results, including (and not necessarily in this order):
- More customers
- More revenue
- More market share
- More profit
- Greater competitive advantage
- Reduced and controlled expenses
This list is not comprehensive. Each enterprise differs in terms of needs and resources. Therefore, an organization’s unique business objectives will determine its telecom/mobility/IT objectives. From there, the telecom/mobility/IT department must work closely with internal stakeholders and business units to achieve alignment between technology implementations and the organization’s requirements.
With that in mind, AOTMP Research & Advisory asked enterprise respondents to evaluate how their organizations have intentionally used telecom, mobility and IT to bring about the aforementioned outcomes. Here are the results in order of popularity:
- Reduced expenses
- More revenue
- Greater competitive advantage
- More customers
- More market share
- More profit
Analysts were not surprised to see cost savings as the
No. 1 outcome. This remains the most prominent reason organizations deploy telecom, mobility and/or IT initiatives. AOTMP Research & Advisory will be the first to agree that gleaning positive financial impact from technology is important. However, analysts continue to argue there is far more to gain from these implementations than savings. This report highlights those other areas as analysts further educate enterprises and vendors about ways technology can radically change business outcomes.
Meanwhile, a little more than half of respondents said their organizations achieved the above-listed goals on their own, without the help of a vendor partner. However, the respondents that did use a third party for some level of help, whether that was procurement, deployment or another activity, relied on a healthy mix of technologies and vendor types. The range included:
- IT service management
- Global wireline and wireless carriers
- Sales quotation tools
- Marketing strategists
- IVR services
- SMS texting
- TEM
- MDM
- Unified communications
- Analytics
Interestingly, while telecom and mobility both contributed significantly to outcomes over the past year, IT carried the biggest impact, according to enterprise respondents. AOTMP Research & Advisory believes this likely is due to deployments of “cloud” services – unified communications, infrastructure/platforms, applications, etc. Those implementations usually fall under the IT umbrella and have grown more ubiquitous because enterprises pay for them from the operating expenses, rather than capital expenditures, budget. Cloud solutions also eliminate expensive overhauls and upgrades, although that does not mean they do not come with their own unique challenges
TECHNOLOGY CREATING REAL-WORLD OUTCOMES
AOTMP Research & Advisory spoke with four enterprise respondents for this report to learn more about how they have used technology to change business outcomes. The stories were compelling and varied in complexity and aim. That speaks to the reality that because every organization’s needs differ, so must the solutions they put in place. Therefore, consider these mini case studies as examples for using telecom, mobility and IT to achieve various kinds of goals.
CITY OF OKLAHOMA
Throughout 2018, the City of Oklahoma implemented more mobility for both employees and citizens in a bid to reduce expenses. First, the city outfitted building inspectors, code enforcement personnel and similar staff with iPads and laptops, eliminating manual paperwork entry. This also allows the city to send schedules and all pertinent details directly to these workers, who now clock in and out online instead of driving back and forth to an office. As a result, the city has saved significant amounts of money on travel and parking garage costs, and greatly enhanced productivity. Next, the city made all public safety efforts mobile as well, creating unique results. For example, police issue e-citations, saving paper and its associated costs; and, finally, mobility has increased the city’s police and fire dispatch times.
We find we get a good return on our investment when we put in wireless where it makes sense.
- Jack Gallemore, Systems Support Specialist, City Of Oklahoma
NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
A global church wanted to gain more market share and, to do so, had to spread its message in more ways. Therefore, it undertook a variety of initiatives to achieve that goal throughout 2018. For instance, the church created more demographic-specific websites that work not just on cell phones and tablets, but that also work on older devices with older formatting needs. It further enabled its missionaries with smartphones and tablets and deployed a mobile device management platform to keep usage in check. Finally, technology leaders started installing internet and firewalls in about 8,000 buildings so more congregants can meet remotely, removing concerns about too many people in one building or having to rent a larger space.
You don’t get the latest, greatest iPhone out there in the world. The needs of a worldwide audience are different than the needs of audiences in United States. We’re making sure everyone can access all the same information such as online scriptures on old formats and devices.
- Global Telecommunications Manager, Not-For-Profit Organization
SPORTING GOODS CHAIN
Two sporting goods chains recently merged, a move that spurred intentional use of telecom, mobility and IT to foster important, customer-centric outcomes. The first was to upgrade the purchaser’s network to speed up transactions – namely the processing of applications for store credit cards. The second was to deploy customer Wi-Fi, beginning with the stores that have restaurants. Businesses and private citizens alike rent restaurant space and expected to have connectivity for presentations and other needs. The combined company spent much of 2018 focused on these initiatives so it could increase revenue and customer satisfaction.
We’re adding customer Wi-Fi. The first locations to have that are the ones with restaurants. The restaurants rent out to private parties for presentations and so on, and the lack of network connection for outside people has been an issue.
– Telecom Manager, Sporting Goods Chain
IT CONSULTANCY
An IT consultancy needed to attract more customers, gain revenue and competitive advantage, and reduce expenses. It achieved these outcomes by combining different resources: IT service management, a sales quotation platform and marketing strategists. On the technology side, specifically, the sales quotation tool now hooks into the ITSM, helping to take customer engagement even further. In other words, the systems work together to house all details and keep everyone internally aware of what to deliver as the client expects.
Giving folks of all different roles and responsibilities within a business access to the tools that they need to make their role most efficient is the key.
– Outsourcing Consultant, It Channel Partner
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2019
The coming year promises more technological transformation and evolution within organizations. Here are some of the projects enterprise respondents are undertaking:
- More wireless services, platforms and applications
- More hosted solutions
- More Internet of Things deployments
- SD-WAN
- Software integrations
- Systems monitoring
- New call center vendor
- Enhanced logistics and performance management tools
- Bill payment centralization
- Online content distribution platforms
- Converting all communications to SIP
- Continued unification with Office 365 and Skype for Business
What AOTMP Research & Advisory finds interesting about this list is the focus on new and emerging technologies. These enterprises, whether they know it or not, are in
the midst of digital transformation. The move away
from wireline-centric connectivity and premise-based configurations indicates more comfort with mobile and cloud services and solutions – the technological stepping stones toward the future. Indeed, cloud and mobility generally provide more flexibility, user friendliness and other benefits compared to their legacy counterparts.
(There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part, most organizations will see more advantages from next- generation telecom, mobility and IT deployments than they would from using older technologies.) All this gives employees the tools that make them as productive and efficient as possible. And those results impact top and bottom lines.
PEER GUIDANCE
For their parts, the four enterprise respondents have detailed plans for outcomes they want technology to create in 2019. The City of Oklahoma wants to outfit one of its new fire stations with a radio tower tied to the public network so it can serve more people not covered by cellular. And it wants to upgrade its utilities capabilities to better serve citizens and protect valuable resources. To do that, the city will deploy more IoT sensors to ensure water pressure and flow regulation as new pipelines reach expanding areas. Lastly, the city is anticipating the launch of even faster wireless capabilities. “We’re really looking forward to 5G. That will really jumpstart a lot of things for us and help
us transition to the next phase of networking,” said Jack Gallemore, systems support specialist. For example, he said, City Hall lies on a historical preservation site, so installing wireline technology is not only too expensive, it’s difficult to deploy. Making the most of mobility will keep the city from hurting historic buildings and could cost less than its fixed counterpart.
The sporting goods chain, meanwhile, is in the early stages of an SD-WAN deployment. This should help the company provision faster networking among its more than 150 combined locations.
The global not-for-profit organization will deliver more content to mobile devices, especially older ones. It also will continue shutting down wireline phones in its buildings to save money on little-used equipment. (Its clergy are not paid and generally prefer to use their mobile phones.)
Finally, the IT consultancy will look to more mobile enablement of its core offerings, such as delivering reports to tablets and smartphones.
CONCLUSION: MORE THAN SAVINGS
AOTMP Research & Advisory has talked for years about the value of telecom, mobility and IT, and their expert management, lying in the outcomes they promote. But
it can be hard for people to digest that idea without solid examples and success stories. With any luck, this report has helped to remove any doubt about how technology can – and ideally should – change business outcomes. It also should be clear that reducing expenses is not the key goal for every enterprise, nor should it be. The adage that one must spend money to make money tends to ring true with technology. For instance, failing to act on a well- constructed mobility strategy will cost in terms of missed opportunities.
In fact, while AOTMP Research & Advisory understands and champions the reduction of expenses where that makes sense, analysts want to encourage organizations to also embrace the other, largely more impactful results that come of thoughtful technology deployments: more
(and happier) customers, more revenue and profit, greater market share and competitive advantage. These outcomes often carry more weight and value than savings. They
are tangible, actionable and repeatable, and that means continued success. And relying on the expertise of both internal telecom/mobility/IT management professionals and vendors that know what works and what does not will only ramp up that success.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KELLY TEAL
Senior Research Analyst
Kelly Teal authors many of AOTMP Research & Advisory’s reports, from Analyst Perspectives and Market Landscapes to vendor whitepapers, Anatomy of a Decision insights and more. Thanks to a background diverse in technology journalism, Kelly is able to write with versatility across AOTMP Research & Advisory’s practice areas. This has cultivated a skillset that allows her to speak to the range of issues enterprises and vendors face amid the ever-changing telecom, mobility and IT management climate.
ABOUT AOTMP RESEARCH & ADVISORY
AOTMP Research & Advisory support enterprise and vendor telecom, mobility and technology management initiatives and objectives with actionable data and insight. To that end, AOTMP Research & Advisory focuses on the management of multiple practice areas, including IoT, cybersecurity, enterprise mobility, telecom expense, mobile application development, BI/data analytics, enterprise telecom/mobility/technology environments, telecom/mobility/technology ecosystem and IT services.
Enterprises take advantage of AOTMP Research & Advisory’s targeted research, analysis and advisory services to boost telecom/mobility/technology management efficiency, performance and productivity. This brings greater value and impact to the overall business – including reducing costs. For vendors that impact the performance, productivity and efficiency of an enterprise’s telecom, mobility or technology environment, following AOTMP Research & Advisory’s proven approach leads to higher revenue, more market share, competitive differentiation and happier customers.
One key distinction about AOTMP Research & Advisory stems from our extensive reach and relationships with telecom, mobility and technology management business professionals. Thanks to a variety of sources and advanced statistical methods, we extract information from end users that helps enterprises measure themselves against their peers and gives vendors unprecedented views into their clients’ and prospects’ business pains and goals.
Overall, AOTMP Research & Advisory sets the standard for telecom/mobility/technology management expertise, guiding enterprises and vendors alike to positive, measurable outcomes.
ABOUT AOTMP
Overall, AOTMP Research & Advisory sets the standard for telecom/mobility/technology management expertise, guiding enterprises and vendors alike to positive, measurable outcomes.
Telecom/Mobility/IT Management Best Practices and Industry Standards
AOTMP is a leading global information, services and advisory firm for next generation Telecom / Mobility / IT Management best practices and industry standards for organizations and the vendors who support them. Best practices cover network services, carrier services, mobility and IoT solutions, cloud solutions, software, hardware, and emerging technologies that impact the performance and business value of technology. Using information, data and compiled analytics from thousands of enterprise environments worldwide, AOTMP solutions help enterprises drive performance, efficiency and productivity while significantly reducing costs and help vendors provide a new level of value to their customers. AOTMP’s solutions are based on its patented Efficiency First® Framework methodology and are the foundation for Telecom / Mobility / IT Management Centers of Excellence being built across the globe.
AOTMP Business Units include:
- AOTMP University – courses, certifications and assessments
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- AOTMP Services – services for enterprises and vendors
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ABOUT TELLENNIUM
ABOUT TELLENNIUM
Tellennium Inc. was founded by industry veterans in 1999 as a pioneer of Telecom Expense and Mobility Management services. Utilizing expertise, proven processes, and a dynamic platform with a new release every 4-6 weeks, Tellennium continues to lead the way in the TEM and MMS market. We are absolutely dedicated to our clients and quality service which further helps set us apart from the rest.
ENTERPRISE CHALLENGES IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
As technology and enterprises change to take advantage of more cloud services, mobile workforces and virtualization of networks, complexity occurs demanding even a greater need for improved tracking and potentially more expert resources to realize
the associated benefits. Tellennium’s SaaS based platform TIMS, Tellennium’s Integrated Management System, and experienced personnel answers
the challenge. TIMS provides proven workflows
and access to real-time views of an Enterprise’s communications technology infrastructure with detailed inventory of services, circuits, device, vendors, contracts, contacts, expense allocations, audit/optimization, payment history/reconciliation, and changes. Tellennium’s experienced staff is also available to assist Enterprises for any additional resource needs they may have.
A MARKET EXPANSION CHALLENGE
A global facilities management company expanded into the US with a need to go from 3 employees to several hundred in just a 60-day timeframe. Most would be outfitted with smart phones and tablets. Tellennium met with the enterprise to assess the scope and timeline – then immediately began work on evaluating devices, carriers, mobile policies, and rate plans.
Tellennium’s contacts and experience to quickly negotiate and bring together an appropriate cost-effective solution not tied to a specific carrier or provider meant quick procurement.
With selections in place, an on-site team was deployed to kit and provide the devices to the new personnel. They registered and tested each device, loaded apps, and led new employee training on device use. Security is always a concern; using their MDM solution, Tellennium controlled the activities of the devices consistently through the means of corporate policy enforcement, securing corporate documents and monitoring and executing application management. Technicians would not have open access to the Internet, have limited apps available for use, and cannot openly use downloaded apps of choice. This protects the integrity of the system and secures corporate security parameters.
Tellennium also provided hot line support as the implementation rolled forward. All devices and services were added to the TIMS platform for AP processing, auditing, optimization, support, and device management.
THE RESULTS
The company is expanding into new markets on a new MDM platform, and partnering with Tellennium again for this expansion. With Tellennium’s support team and TIMS’ processes, managing their mobile network is efficient, smooth, consistent, and cost effective. Tellennium has been here from the beginning and continues to experience double-digit organic growth every year for a reason. And all services come with a written guarantee.
Tellennium provides Enterprise Technology Management, Wireless Mobile Management Services, Telecom Expense Management, Staff Augmentation and Objective Consulting to organizations in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, hospitality, finance and professional services. For more information, Contact Tellennium. (800) 939-9440