Mobile office. Image taken from http://www.iftelecom.com.au
Ok, I am just bad at coming up with catchy names! I try, but well, let’s just leave it at that…
Till early 2007, I was more or less unaccustomed to the sheer awesomeness of web @ mobile devices! Occasionally, I had seen people glued to their blackberries, but their importance in worklife hadn’t dawned upon me. It’s only in summer 2007 that I got my first Treo (and the data plan to go with it) and suddenly a whole new world opened up for me. The whole experience of having information at my fingertips anytime and anywhere I wanted was almost like a divine revelation!
I am not at all exaggerating, that’s exactly how it was! Suddenly, I was reading news, engadget.com etc., and replying to emails while stuck in a traffic jam, or while standing in a line, waiting for a movie to start….pretty much all the time! Both personal and professional productivity got a super boost…I had so much more time to catch up with current events, latest gadgets, financial news etc..
It doesn’t matter if you are working an 8-5 job, or running your own business. It doesn’t matter whether you want to play along or not, mobile technology is changing the whole work culture and dynamics, and it is here to stay! Slowly, more and more employers and businesses are realizing that it’s to their advantage that employees stay connected via Blackberries, treos etc! It’s an investment that’s worth every single penny.
While trying to make a case for this, it’s only fair that I share my experience and how it has changed my work habits and personal attitude. The experience with Treo was an eye opener ofcourse. It didn’t matter where I was, or what I was doing, I had access to all the information whenever I wanted. My boss didn’t have to wait for me to come back from lunch to get answers to questions that would help move the project along. If an urgent meeting was set up for early next morning after I called it a day, I didn’t miss it anymore. A few months later, I moved to a blackberry, and my mobile experience immediately went up a few notches! Now, I got access even to the corporate messenger etc. I was never more approachable and available to people. I could feel the immediate difference in productivity. Having most up to date information all the time gives you a sense of confidence, and in some cases, an edge over the others.
I can’t imagine it being any different for business owners. It’s about having all the information you need to make important decisions available at your fingertips. If you don’t make an effort to reach out to your customers the fastest possible way, someone else for sure will!
Some of the biggest arguments I have heard against this are:
- I don’t want to be a workaholic
- If I am not at my desk, I am UNAVAILABLE!
- Once I am out of office, I am OUT!
- I am not getting paid for this…
- Waiting another hour before replying isn’t going to bring the Earth to a halt
I am not saying these points aren’t right…there should be a balance between work and personal life, but this is not about that. I agree, once in a while it does get crazy. I have been there…replied to emails at 10 in the night. Most of the times, it’s just about having the right information at your fingertips whenever you need it. It’s about improving your work efficiency and reaching out to people, teammates, and customers sooner. And lastly, it’s about adapting faster and faster to the changes in schedules, requirements and unexpected incidents.
And I’ll sum it up by just saying that if you are not ready for this…there are thousands of people who are! Employers will find employees who are more available and more adaptable to changing office dynamics, and customers will find better informed (and more available) businesses! If you are absolutely sure that no one else in the world can do your work, or provide services that your businesses does, then go ahead and keep using your Moto Razr! If you aren’t so sure..then I urge you to be more open to this rewarding experience!
I can make the exact same case for Web 2.0, but I’ll leave that for a later time!
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