Do your staff really need laptops?
Change in approach
As a business you will probably have had to adapt your website as a result of the quickening shift to browsing and buying through mobile phones - so-called m-commerce. But have you thought about what it means for your own staff? Your sales team, for example, or those working away from the office, would probably have been given a laptop for e-mails, presentations, etc. But with the rise of the smartphone, do they still need them?
The big switch
Smartphones have already overtaken laptops as the preferred device for accessing the Internet. One in three people (33%) say their mobile is their go-to technology for web browsing, compared with 30% who cited laptops.
Future forecasts
In 2015 tech magazine Wired claimed that in less than two years your smartphone could be your only computer. Each wave of new smartphones, they argued, makes them more capable and powerful than the last: “We’re at a point where anyone armed with a current model smartphone or tablet is able to handle almost all of their at-home - and even at-work - tasks without needing anything else.” SMEs are increasingly using tablets and phones for business use but most will use desktops and laptops too. Can you cut down on the machines you have?
Mastering tasks
Wired suggested the proof to their claim was how they were covering events almost exclusively via phones. There is also evidence that the younger generation is faster at texting than they are at typing, with students writing homework and essays on their mobiles rather than bulky laptops. But it’s not for everyone and it’s not practical in most offices.
In summary. To ask your staff to all use a smartphone rather than a desktop is a little far-fetched. Not to mention the health and safety implications: staff crouched over little screens, suffering from repetitive strain injuries. But how about those staff who are out and about most of the time? They are probably using their smartphone already, whilst the laptop gathers dust in the boot of the car.
Tip. Check with staff who have laptops if they are still using them. It’s a fair bet that those on the road are using their mobiles most of the time, especially for e-mails, browsing and even writing/amending documents.
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The board has just agreed to bring in a new sales team. There are ten new executives all of whom will be on the road 80% of the time. You’ve been asked to source smartphones and laptops for each - as per company policy - but each will only need access to a laptop 20% of the time. You therefore suggest a smartphone first, buying ten phones and three laptops that can be shared.
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