* Mobile messaging is growing in most organizations - what are the gotchas?
The use of mobile messaging is growing in most organizations. For example, a recent Osterman Research survey found the following penetration and growth of various devices and technologies:
* Company-provided wireless devices: currently in use by 16% of e-mail users and expected to grow to 25% in 2007.
* Wireless instant messaging: currently in use by 7% of e-mail users and expected to grow to 15% in 2007.
There are a variety of problems associated with mobile messaging, not least of which is the fact that these devices tend to be used by a relatively small number of users, at least at present, but these users tend to be among the highest profile users in the typical organization: senior executives, traveling employees, customer-facing employees and the like. Integrating mobile e-mail and instant messaging into the existing messaging infrastructure can present problems such as synchronizing mobile content with users’ other messaging platforms.
Another problem is the fact that losing a single mobile device can lead to an enormous loss of intellectual property like e-mail threads, contacts, critical documents and other content. Plus, managing mobile devices can require a greater IT labor investment per mobile user compared to conventional e-mail because the economies of scale don’t exist with the relatively small proportion of mobile users in the typical organization.
We’re going to be launching a major study of mobile messaging among midsized and large organizations and will have it wrapped up within the month. In the meantime, however, I would like to hear from you from two perspectives: first, if you manage a mobile messaging infrastructure, what are the problems you’re having and what would you like to have that you don’t have now that would make your life easier? Second, if you’re a user of mobile e-mail or instant messaging, what problems do you experience in the use of these devices, such as integration with your primary e-mail system, and what is your wish list of features and functions? Please drop me a note.
