A new survey of mobile technology use by Canadian small and medium-sized businesses conducted by business software vendor Sage North America has found that business owners see mobility as a productivity enhancer, and are embracing the bring your own device (BYOD) trend.
Sage polled 476 Canadian SMBs for the Canadian edition of its Sage SMB Survey on Mobile Devices. It found that 83 per cent of respondents feel mobile technology has had a positive effect on their businesses, while just one per cent found mobile technology a negative influence. Some 78 per cent of respondents are using devices to access work-related information.
When it comes to what device users are utilizing to get the job done remotely, the laptop is still king, but tablets and smartphones are catching-up fast and have passed desktops as remote connection options of choice.
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Who is supplying those devices? The company supplied mobile devices for 71 per cent of respondents, while 28 per cent supplied their own without company reimbursement, and 18 per cent supplied their own device but sent their employer the bill. Nearly half – 45 per cent – of respondents had supportive BYOD policies in place, and another five per cent are considering it. Some 35 per cent haven’t considered BYOD yet, while just nine per cent have decided to say no.
Sage recommends developing a BYOD policy in order to protect a company’s proprietary data. After all, with or without policy, its likely users will find a way to use their personal devices for work activities.
“Mobile devices have become so pervasive that many of us feel like these devices are an extension of ourselves, so it makes sense that the majority of business owners Sage surveyed in Canada are incorporating mobile devices to increase productivity, ” said Nancy Harris, senior vice-president and general manager of Sage 50 Accounting– Canadian Edition, in a statement. “For many businesses, mobile devices are an extension of the office. The collaboration and seamless integration between back office and the sales force in the field provide a means that can potentially alleviate bottlenecks between departments.”