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Enterprise Embrace Tablets

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Y es it is a fact, we are living in a tablet friendly world now and Tablets are everywhere, they are in the enterprise segment as well, in a very big way though, whether put there

by management or brought in by employees, and they’re becoming as indispensable to workers as smartphones.

The Web is becoming the winning platform. BYOD will become the norm, versus enterprise control. In a world where people are working anywhere and any time, a multi-screen world will be the norm.

Owing to the above factors, Tablets are becoming the new craze in the enterprise arena. The devices have been rapidly catching on in the corporate world since 2010 when Apple launched the iPad. The momentum that tablet adoption has continues as the corporate world has warmed to the idea of deploying slates to employees.

Tablets were mainly used in niche applications such as data collection out in the field by utility workers. Even by the time nearly every employee

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Cover Storyhad a smartphone, the number of people using tablets was still low. Now, though, enterprises are deploying one tablet for every five smartphones in the corporate world, according to research firm IDC.

That might still seem like a wide span, but it says something about the corporate tablet use and where it’s headed. In essence, it means that tablets are working well for enterprise customers and they are going to deploy more of them.

Today’s ScenarioShishir Singh, Director, Product Marketing, Dell India shares

his views on Enterprise Tablets. “Tablets provide the benefit of mobility and having all-round accessibility that enterprises are today searching for. While the tablet market is vast with devices for almost everyone, today organizations are looking for devices which are mobile and versatile in nature and support the correct software and services to address the security and manageability issues that companies face. For enterprises, the option of mobility without any compromise on safety, provides many benefits for their employees, especially the mobile workforce. Tablets such as the Dell Latitude 10, which is the first business-class tablet that can seamlessly and easily integrate into secure and manageable IT environments, can help boost employee productivity by providing a one-stop solution for mobile professionals.

As an OS, Windows 8 has also opened up many opportunities in the tablet market and there is a proliferation of devices with different screen sizes and form factors to meet different needs of users such as accessibility of information-on-the-go, mobility, etc. These new devices are power-packed in slim and sleek designs which are committed to perform with great efficiency help in seamless technology convergence. Due to this, trends like BYOD can take actual shape now and organizations can reap the benefits from them,’’ he adds on.

Leo Joseph, Director, Enterprise Sales, PPS (Printing and Personal Systems) Group, HP India says that Mobility is transforming the way how enterprises run their business operations and tablets are fast becoming the device of choice as it is one such device that supports mobility.

“According to a report from Gartner, enterprise sales of tablets will account for about 35% of total tablet sales sold in 2015. In the years to come enterprises will be happy to allow tablets as part of bring your own device (BYOD) program. More of these tablets will be owned by consumers who use them at work,” he adds on.

Speaking about the enterprise intake on tablets, Rahul Agarwal, Executive Director, Commercial Business Segment, Lenovo India says that tablets are finding its place in almost all the verticals of enterprise segment today.

“In the enterprise segment, we are witnessing an increasing demand for tablets and they have become the most preferred computing devices after PC, for many users. Enterprise tablets are very convenient for viewing d o c u m e n t s a n d a c c e s s i n g business applications; they also include advanced performance features , super io r secur i t y measures and can be used on

the go. These tablets can significantly improve productivity by allowing users to securely access enterprise data from anywhere, anytime. Mobility is one of the key focus areas for most of the organizations, and this will drive higher adoption of enterprise tablets, as they include key mobility features like video sharing and VPN access, amongst others,” he adds on.

Talking about the Indian perspective, Saji Kumar, Director – Product Management, Acer India, says that riding on diverse form factors, innovative user interface and app-enablement, the adoption of tablet PCs in the enterprise space have begun to pick up momentum. “With gaining traction amongst enterprisers across the globe we expect tablet PCs to be the next device for companies to move to. Several corporate companies have begun to accept the concept of BYOD, we believe one of the most important parameter for organizations to switch to enterprise applications on mobile devices is the connectivity feature it offers enabling consumers to access and share whatever they want” he explains.

Speaking on the tablet market scenario, Sandeep Arya, Managing Director, Amtrak Info Systems, shares his views on the role of tablets in the Enterprise Sector.

“Truly, with the advancement of technology in every sphere of life and profession, the enterprise segment is also looking at having solutions in the form of applications onto devices like tablets. We are getting enquiries and requirements from various enterprises based on their respective requirements of using the device,” he adds on.

Enterprise VerticalsSaji Kumar from Acer India says that the rising popularity of

enterprise mobility in India has resulted in a steady increase in the adoption of tablets, especially businesses that require on-the-go productivity. “Enterprise verticals including automobiles, retail, BFSI, healthcare, education and telecom are the key adopters of tablet devices in India. With the percentage of mobile workforce expected to soar in the coming years, tablets will become an indispensible tool for remote employees. The escalating broadband penetration is further poised to drive the adoption of tablets in businesses.

We are seeing massive demand coming in from the enterprise segment for our Windows 8 tablets. A number of our enterprise customers have already enquired about the latest Iconia W3. Since it’s on a Windows 8, we expect this model to sync well with the enterprise customers,” he adds on.

“Tablets provide the benefit of mobi l i ty and having a l l - round accessibility that enterprises are today searching for. While the tablet market is vast with devices for almost everyone, today organizations are looking for devices which are mobile and versatile in nature and support the correct software and services to address the security and manageability issues that companies face. For enterprises, the option of mobility without any compromise on safety, provides many benefits for their employees, especially the mobile workforce.”

Shishir Singh, Director, Product Marketing,

Dell India

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As Shishir Singh from Dell India puts it, some of the key segments that are moving towards integrating tablets are segments like Insurance and Pharma that are implementing and adopting trends like Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), for their mobile workforce. For them, the ease of device mobility and the ability to stay always connected with enhanced enterprise features to ensure data security, help them to work from anywhere and at anytime resulting in increased productivity.

‘’With regard to organizations where employees are allowed to carry their own devices, they are automatically enticed towards tablets for their small form factor that provides ease of portability. Moreover, with technological innovation, tablets have become do-it-all devices that allow the consumer to easily switch between their professional and personal lives while remaining mobile and connected.’ he adds on.

According to Leo Joseph from HP India, “We have seen positive traction from enterprises in verticals like retail, BFSI, healthcare, education, hospitality and telecom with regards to adoption and implementation of tablets. For instance, the HP ElitePad Mobile Point of Sale (POS) Solution helps retail and hospitality businesses enhance the customer experience and maximize staff productivity. With the rise of sophisticated ecommerce and mobile technologies, today’s tech-savvy consumers expect instant, customized access to a brand’s offerings. However, delivering this type of personalized experience can be challenging for brick and mortar businesses. The HP ElitePad Mobile POS solution, which is composed of the HP ElitePad plus the Retail Jacket for ElitePad allows businesses to meet customer needs anywhere in the store with mobile POS and assisted selling capabilities. The new mobile solution integrates into a retailer’s existing IT

Cover Storyinfrastructure, saving time and money by allowing them to easily connect to store systems,” he adds on.

The Tablet AdvantageAs being put by Leo Joseph

from HP India, Portability, product iv i ty and diverse utility of tablets make it the perfect tool for enterprises, especially for businesses that are on-the-go.

“ S o m e o f t h e k e y di f ferent iators that g ive the tablets an additional advantage are: Mobi l i ty :

Tablets offer great mobility and hence are great devices for the mobile workforce. According to a Salesforce Springboard research India’s mobile workforce will reach 205 million by 2015. Tablets are increasingly finding their way in the work environment. Companies recognize the importance of mobility afforded by tablets to executives and key employees. Creation and consumption device: Tablets are no longer meant only for consumption of content. HP’s Elitepad 900, an enterprise based tablet, can be used as a primary device for business users as it can be used for both- creation and consumption of content. It balances smart design with enterprise grade features, functionality, serviceability and support. The ElitePad’s thoughtfully designed accessories ecosystem allows the tablet to work as a primary notebook.” He explains.

According to Shishir Singh from Dell India, there are many advantages that tablets bring in. “With a change in lifestyle and professional demands of prosumers, portable, do-it-all devices, such as tablets, provide a one-stop solution. Tablets are compact and light weight, allow all time connectivity enabling people to access their digital lives on the go and offer the ability to consolidate all their entertainment, communication, and work needs in a single device. Ease of mobility is one of the biggest factors that are drawing people towards tablets. Unlike a PC or laptop, tablets are light-weight and with advancements in technology, can tackle most business needs an employee may have. All these factors together, improve employee productivity and therefore are an advantage to organizations at large. Another factor that is leading to a growth of tablets is the rise in acceptability of BYOD. This has triggered a demand for devices such as the tablets that provide portability and are connected at all times. At the same time, their enterprise

friendly features make it easier for IT departments to integrate into the IT environment from a security and manageability point of view,” he adds on.

As being put by Sandeep Arya from Amtrack. “Indeed an ease in access is of fered by devices such as tablets. In the enterprise segment, if we look at, few of the big advantages can be a solution to many large level requirements –digitized content, better connectivity, flexibility i n c r e a t i n g / u s i n g v a r i o u s applications/solutions, ability to operate and function remotely, and since tablet PC being light

“According to a report from Gartner, enterprise sales of tablets will account for about 35% of total tablet sales sold in 2015. In the years to come enterprises will be happy to allow tablets as part of bring your own device (BYOD) program. More of these tablets will be owned by consumers who use them at work,”

Leo Joseph, Director, Enterprise Sales, PPS

(Printing and Personal Systems) Group, HP India

“In the past we have worked with an Indian automotive major and supported them in implementing sales force automation, taking the sales process to the next level. We employed around 850 tablets to del iver consistent product messaging, through this initiative the sales executives were able to demonstrate features of the vehicles and capture customer enquiry and test drive feedback.”

Saji Kumar, Acer India

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Cover Storydevise it has eliminated trouble carrying several devices while functioning away from the office,” he adds on.

What Future Holds?M o r e a n d m o r e

organizations that are looking forward to implement BYOD with lots mobile employees, should be looking towards enterprise-friendly tablets for the immense benefits they provide. Sectors l ike BFSI , Manufactur ing, Automobile, Insurance and Pharma are showing interest in implementing BYOD.

“With advancements in technology, a tablet today can provide all-round connectivity, w h i l e b e i n g e x t r e m e l y manageable, and therefore allow the employee to carry work with them wherever they need. Also, enterprise tablets such as the Dell Latitude 10 feature business-class security and easy IT integration to make it convenient for the user as well as the IT department of any organization to integrate it into their life and system. Informs, Shishir Singh from Dell India.

According to the 2013 CIO Enterprise Tablet Survey commissioned by Dell, 50% of the organizations are considering BYOD implementation in their organizations within the next 6 months. With CIOs seeing the benefits of BYOD implementation, the go-to device will become the tablet as it provides the employee with the ease of mobility and all-round connectedness.

“These features provided by a tablet will further boost employee productivity. With tablets like the Latitude 10 that are targeted towards enterprises there is also an ease of device management by the IT department as well as protection of data. Taking all these factors into consideration places the tablet as the solution for enterprises with mobile professionals, as well as those implementing BYOD. The average prosumer lifestyle is undergoing a change that is looking for

more mobile solutions. Since workforce mobility is rising, the device needs to adapt to provide for their work needs. According to the 2013 CIO Enterprise Tablet Survey, 80% of organizations are considering a BYOD implementation in the next one year. With a majority of organizations considering BYOD, the go-to device will become the tablet, with its ease of mobility and thus boost in productivity. The survey also indicates that 27% of the mobile workforce and 26% of the senior executives have shown interest in using tablets to provide additional value in the organization. These are the people that are clearly the driving force behind organizations considering a BYOD implementation and tablet integration,” Shishir Singh adds on.

Speaking about his experience on enterprise tablets, Saji Kumar from Acer India says, “In the past we have worked with an Indian automotive major and supported them in implementing sales force automation, taking the sales process to the next level. We employed around 850 tablets to deliver consistent product messaging, through

this initiative the sales executives were able to demonstrate features of the vehicles and capture customer enquiry and test drive feedback. We are confident in a few quarters tablet PCs with more advanced enterprise friendly features and functionalities will hit the market that will boost its adoption across business verticals. Enterprises have begun to understand the benefits of the functionalities and are willing to explore the opportunity,” he adds on.

As explained by Sandeep Arya from Amtrack, in an enterprise driven world, the future belongs to tablets. “A combination of tablet and enterprise needs often brings out something unique and different. The future looks really promising and exciting while we see this combination generating results. Future will offer many new innovations and solutions to meet the changing needs of the enterprises.” He added.

“Truly, with the advancement of technology in every sphere of life and profession, the enterprise segment is also looking at having solutions in the form of applications onto devices like tablets. We are getting enquiries and requirements from various enterprises based on their respective requirements of using the device,”

Sandeep Arya, Managing Director,

Amtrak Info Systems

“In the enterprise segment, we are witnessing an increasing demand for tablets and they have become the most preferred computing devices after PC, for many users. Enterprise tablets are very convenient for viewing documents and accessing business applications; they also include advanced performance features, superior security measures and can be used on the go. These tablets can significantly improve productivity by allowing users to securely access enterprise data from anywhere, anytime.”

Rahul Agarwal, Executive Director,

Commercial Business Segment,

Lenovo India