As Citrix’s small business bootcamp draws to a close, we recap the key learnings helping you to build effective mobile workspaces addressing today’s business needs
If you think the latest technologies and IT trends are exclusive to global conglomerates with expansive budgets then I’m here to tell you, you are wrong.
You might be surprised to learn that more often than not, new technologies deliver greater value for SMBs than they do larger companies.
We only have to look at the impact of cloud services. Those businesses embracing cloud platforms are disrupting traditional business models and players to deliver a whole new way of business, and significantly improving user experiences.
Enterprise mobility is no different, and needs to be a must have for SMBs.
Of course, it’s easier said than done and we appreciate there can be challenges when it comes to embracing new technologies, from budget restraints through to understanding the range of buzzwords and acronyms, which seem to grow by the day. A common perception customers often raise with me is not thinking they have the resources or expertise to focus on IT. A valid concern but in our digital world, technology can be the difference between success and failure meaning it needs to be a key pillar of your business.
Imagine the productivity gains and cost savings you could make by freeing your business from the confines of the office. You are empowered to reimagine the way you work, allowing employees to work in the ways that best suit their needs to deliver the optimum results for your business and them.
Every year, new technologies, software and applications are being developed and designed to make work and life easier. Being able to rapidly take advantage of these will allow your business to realise its true potential in the current market, while acting as a key differentiator for current and future employees.
Looking back at the Citrix SMB bootcamp, I want to re-cap some of the key learnings outlining how you can build a cost-effective, efficient and secure mobile workspace delivering huge business success:
- Get Out of the Office – Unshackle your business from the confines of an office by creating a mobile workspace empowering employees to work from wherever they are, whatever device they choose, and at whatever time suits them best. At Citrix we’ve called this type of offering Workspace-as-a-Service, and during Week 2 highlighted a number of the mobility technologies, such as XenMobile, that create this platform. Specifically, deploy technologies delivering secure access, that allow your employees to effectively collaborate remotely, and which simplify the way data is accessed.
Beyond powering a new, more productive way of work, WaaS takes the stress out of IT management as your service provider manages the platform, allowing you to focus on growing your business. Additionally, under this approach the applications are delivered as online services meaning you can rapidly deploy and take advantage of the latest services, while only paying for what you use.
- Simplify and Consolidate – The reality is that in business today you are using a range of business applications and cloud services, often from different providers. If left unmanaged, this can create a clunky and complex IT environment restricting business growth and efficiencies.
To overcome this, embrace technologies enabling you to unify and manage your IT network from a single platform, like those discussed in Week 3 and Week 4. This means all solutions can be easily accessed from a single intuitive interface, while you are empowered to manage them as a single entity to ensure they work together to help you meet your business goals.
- Protect What Matters – While today’s highly mobile employees can help businesses become more productive, they present a security challenge that you can’t afford to leave unaddressed. However, if you select the right technologies in your WaaS platform, security will become one less thing you have to worry about as the necessary features should come built in.
Today, security should be something that just happens without compromising workforce mobility. Following the guidelines outlined in Week 5, such as protect sensitive data, define network requirements, and managing and protecting what matters, will enable you to create a secure environment enabling employees to safely work across locations, networks, and devices.
To grow your business, you’ve got to free your employees — and your budget — from your physical office. People need the flexibility to work wherever they can drive the most value, and while having the right technology in place might not seem the most obvious choice in enabling success, it is now a critical factor.
We hope that through our six week SMB bootcamp we have equipped you with the knowledge and insights you need to find new ways to work and live better. For more information on Citrix’s suite of mobile workspace technology, visit: http://www.citrix.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8aDqK6_LkY
About the Author
Safi Obeidullah, Director, Technical Services, Australia and New Zealand
Citrix Bootcamp:
