Wireless Application Service Providers - WASP

• Wireless Expertise: Organizations require highly skilled professionals in wireless technologies.

Wireless technology is inherently complex, given its multiple players from carriers to application providers to device manufacturers offering appliances with various form factors and operating systems. The need for technical expertise in current and future wireless technologies should not be underestimated. The deployment of a wireless system is only the beginning. Does a company have the professional staff to operate and maintain a wireless system? If an organization lacks the professional expertise, it may consider training its IT professionals or outsourcing the work to a third-party.

• Additional infrastructure: Besides maintaining a skilled IT professional staff, an organization should consider the up-front costs for hardware, software, and applications.

Regardless of the wireless project, certain technical components are necessary: a wireless network, gateway, servers, end-user devices, application software, and security. Unfortunately there are no out-of-the box solutions. Due to the uniqueness of wireless applications, wireless connectivity and system designs, organizations generally use dedicated servers to separate the wireless traffic from applications. Furthermore, the critical nature of wireless applications requires the use of fault-tolerant servers with redundant components and network infrastructure. Many companies may have invested in this equipment for their back-end systems; nevertheless, most will have to make additional purchases to accommodate their wireless needs. In addition, with the wireless industry in a constant state of flux, infrastructure choices are complicated by ‘technology obsolesce.’

• Time Constants: Educating staff and implementing a new infrastructure takes considerable time, perhaps, weeks or, even, months.

Fast deployment is critical to the ongoing operations of any organizations; drawn out implementation is more prone to cost overruns and failure. Wireless IT projects often take considerable time to deploy due to extending learning curves, delays in establishing connections with the wireless carriers and systems installations. Can a business afford to have its in-house professional deploying, operating, and maintaining a system as well as training and supporting a mobile workforce? Expecting its IT staff to meet existing responsibilities in addition to maintaining a wireless system is, more than likely, a recipe for prolong inefficiencies and cost overruns.

• Mobile and wireless projects present business improvement opportunities (BPR) - real productivity comes through BPR

There is no doubt that mobile technology improves productivity through BPR of both front-end but back-end processes as well. You may take a phased approach to pilot it first and then roll it out but across the entire field or sales force but you must have a plan.