Future Proof Your Supply Chain: Android in the Enterprise Barcoding's study on technology adoption and the people leading innovation.
Future Proof Your Supply www.barcoding,com | info@barcoding.com Chain | Android in the | 1.888.412.SCAN Enterprise (7226)
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Letter from the Editor Hello there, thanks for joining us. What you’re about to discover is a culmination of effort from a vast array of professionals—from experts at Barcoding, Zebra, Ivanti, and SOTI to IT, operations, and supply chain professionals at companies all across the US and Canada to some of Barcoding’s largest and most tenured customers. What we all have in common is one compelling technological change—the end of support for Windows Embedded Handheld/Windows CE and the rise of Android mobile computing for the enterprise. At Barcoding, we prepare for change by learning as much as we can from experts, customers, and users. In fact, our president Shane Snyder outfitted our whole company with the book Mindset in Jan. 2018— setting the stage for the research you’re about to read.
This research project was commissioned to get behind the scenes and learn how companies advocate and implement new technology.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
We combined our growth mindset with the book The Technology Fallacy: How people are the real key to digital transformation to create a research program that would allow our customers to change successfully and with the least amount of disruption.
Now think about these concepts in specific relation to our topic of Android migration and modernization in the enterprise:
Vital takeaways include:
Digital disruption is real and digital maturity is a competitive advantage. Culture can advance or inhibit digital transformation. A growth mindset at the individual AND company level is vital. Technology, and its affordances to the organization, change as people interact with it. Hidden affordances show themselves during adoption. Think about duct tape—the inventors could never have imagined how many creative affordances would spring up unrelated to the original intent.
Your company’s digital transformation goals are rooted in the ability to access data and to help users be more productive. We cannot think of a stronger reason to migrate to Android than this. People matter. User adoption is everything when it comes to mobility. Put your users first. Take those first steps with a growth mindset. It’s about learning how you can leverage mobility in new and surprising ways and how you can continuously improve over time.
Barcoding’s goal always is to support our customers with the best and most researched guidance available. We hope you find great value in these pages. Our best, JODY COSTA VP of Marketing Barcoding, Inc.
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We are a Supply Chain Automation and Innovation Company Disruption is a given. How will you react? Exceed expectations? Support your employees? Stay competitive? How will you build a supply chain to stand up to the challenges? While we can’t predict disruption, Barcoding, Inc. builds solutions to support your business and face these challenges head-on. Our ability to connect process, people, and technology is how we build solutions to support organizations around the world. Together, we bring the right minds, the right approach, the right data, and the right innovation to our customers’ toughest challenges to help them drive down costs, increase revenue, and improve customer experience. With extensive subject matter expertise in data capture, tracking, and integration, we are trusted by some of the best IT and operations teams in the world. We protect our customers’ investments in technology with the right combination of management and maintenance services. Focusing on continuous improvement and long-term relationships, we offer services around upgrades and modernization, strategic assessments, quarterly business reviews, and thoughtful educational programs.
#SupplyChainGeek
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Our Research Methods In this study you will find: Digital Survey Results (conducted in 2019)............... 4
Mindset Around Migration........................................ 6
Major Focuses of the Year (2019)............................. 8
Our research methods are centered on discovering pain points in migrating to Android and how companies can create the most strategic value in leveraging new mobile technology.
Challenges of Adopting New Technology................ 7 Key Takeaways from our Top Customers................. 9 Benefits of Android Adoption................................. 11 Training & User Adoption Tips............................... 12 Practical Advice Around Android Migration.......... 13 In-Person Workshops................................................ 14 Advice from Industry Experts................................. 16 Mitigating Risk in Migration & Modernization....... 18 Enterprise Applications & Integration.................... 21 Change Management.............................................. 23 Cost............................................................................ 25 Android...................................................................... 27 End User.................................................................... 29 Productivity.............................................................. 31 Hardware................................................................... 33 Security & Networking............................................. 35 Support...................................................................... 37 Resource List.............................................................. 39
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Digital Survey Survey Closed Dec. 2019
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Survey of Barcoding's Community 113
20+
42%
Supply Chain Geeks Surveyed to Date
Discovered Technology Challenges
Unaware about Windows Embedded Handheld End of Life
Industry Roles
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
IT Supply Chain
29% 17%
Sales & Marketing
13%
Other
12%
Administration Operations
10% 8%
Leadership Transportation & Logistics
5% 5%
57% Early Adopters
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Mindset Around Migration Technology Current Use Rugged Mobile Computers
Consumer-grade Devices (Cellphones)
Rugged Tablets No Idea
56%
67%
Have a good plan in place to manage technology transitions.
46%
Do not plan to upgrade to Android.
32%
Are unprepared for managing technology transitions.
54%
Plan to upgrade to Android.
26%
Plan to outsource the management of their devices.
51%
33%
10%
Operating System Windows
51%
Android
31%
IOS
17%
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Challenges of Adopting New Technology
16% 15%
Stakeholder/ Leadership Buy-In
Reallocating Labor
18%
Financial Justification/ ROI/Budget
Integration to Back-End Systems (ERPs)
10% Updates to Processes
Retiring & Disposing of Old Technology
9%
18%
Software App Migration
11%
User Buy-In/ Adoption
9%
User Interface (UI/UX) Modernization
1%
20% User Training
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt
13%
Lack of Time
24% 11%
Planning/Project Management
Data Security/ Compliance Issues
38% 24%
15%
Choosing the Right Hardware
Lack of Experience with New Technology
9%
4%
Lack of Internal Resources
14%
10%
Migrating TelNet
Change Management
Outdated Wireless Infrastructure
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Top 6 Focuses of the Year 38%
27%
15%
7%
7%
Process Improvement
Upgrading & Transitioning to New Technology
Building a New Solution to Solve an Operational Challenge
Financial Justification/ ROI for New Innovations
User Adoption of Technology & Training
54% Plan to upgrade to Android in 2019.
3% Finding a New Job
67%
75%
Need more resources to help justify ROI of upgrading Technology.
Believe they could achieve better user adoption and results by investing in device/software training for users.
User Training Methods
57% Instructor-led Workshops/ Classroom Training
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
42%
42%
28%
eLearning (virtual training)
Help Videos & Prompts embedded into the device and its applications
Augmented & Virtual Reality Training
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In-Depth Customer Interviews A sample of raw data collected.
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Interviews with Top Barcoding Customers 13 Customers Interviewed
“Barcoding works with us to develop innovative solutions, they don't just offer us something off-the-shelf, they help us dream big.”
Additional Enterprise Companies RETAILER PHARMACY COMPANY MANUFACTURER SOLUTIONS COMPANY
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Benefits of Android Adoption As Reported by Our Customers We can now support apps we couldn't support before
It feels familiar
We can solve problems right down to the market level with the devices
I don't see a downside to Android
Android makes us more nimble
We can use technology for disaster recovery/ business resumption
Our drivers are happy and are more efficient when delivering in a tough market
The power of Android: there's an app for everything
We switched to Android 5 years ago and have had significant improvements
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
Users are familiar with the operating system
The devices allow us to take photos
Users can do basic troubleshooting without IT help
It's easier to train someone remotely
Better Battery Life
Devices are smaller and lighter (unlike old ones that caused carpal tunnel)
We could not do this on windows
Better quality control and assurance
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Training & User Adoption Tips As Reported by Our Customers We roll out new devices with a training program
Our job is to make the tech easy-to-use
Listening to employee first makes them feel valued
Ease of use for someone administrating it
Easier to train someone remotely
We must give our users the best end-to-end experience
We don't have a department focused on tech training
We want to push learning content through the devices
I am a proponent of self-paced training programs
We must consider user's tech knowledge
With training, users use up to 50% of the benefit of the new tech
Our job in IT is making them easy-to-use and reliable
We need to find ways to help them leverage the technology better
We are trying to develop better user training during roll out
Instructor led classes are expensive and time consuming
I want users to learn at their own pace on their own devices
The devices should be intuitive and easy-to-use
After deployment we have to mature in a space on how to manage them
Users are more selfsufficient using Android over windows
We've streamlined our training to become more self-sufficient
We should have a more inclusive process for implementation
Our engineers are not equipped to handle questions about IOS
If the shop worker doesn't understand the tool then it will be useless
We do not have internal training on devices
Managing expectations from users accustomed to consumer grade devices
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
Without training they may only use 10% of the benefit
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Practical Advice Around Android Migration As Reported by Our Customers We sent our old devices back to Barcoding & got a credit
Make sure you have an Android developer on staff to support transition
We maintain documentation that is refined as we customize
We created step-by-step screenshots of process and workflows
We hired a field manager to solely focus on the field gear
Make sure to have an in-house resource that is an expert
Choosing one manufacturer is easier than supporting many different device models
Use global applications
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
We test devices in real life scenarios with all areas of business
We get demo units to test from Barcoding, and take as long as months to test with our people
We create reference material during trial phase
We have one dedicated person and a few others who help manage the devices and updates
We created a position "Field Technology Manager," and they report to our IT manager
We have formal documentation process
Documentation is created as the applications are developed and deployed
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In-Person Workshops The Geek Tank Event Series
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In-Person Workshops Brief Summary The Android in the Enterprise Geek Tank event series was held across the United States and Canada with the mission of bringing people together to collaborate, share, and ideate around the specific challenges of migrating and modernizing their mobile computing platforms.
6 Cities
2 Countries
1 Mission
Our vision was to demonstrate the power of a humancentered approach to innovation. Attendees from a variety of industry and backgrounds participated in an intimate discussion around android migration. To provide valuable resources and support to our customers managing large technology transitions, we brought together industry experts to discuss challenges and opportunities faced by customers at various stages of migration and modernization.
What follows is the advice and recommendations for our experts. Thank you to our partners Zebra Technologies, Ivanti, and SOTI for contributing their expertise!
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
Participants
57%
Manager and Above
38%
IT
28%
Operations
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Advice from Industry Experts At each Geek Tank event, we hosted a expert panel discussion featuring some of the top minds in our industry. Here is a selection of their best advice. One thing we heard over and over again—don't go it alone.
"Remember that this is more than just an OS update. It means new OS, devices, applications, user training, and support requirements. Success requires making a comprehensive plan and sticking to it."
—GREG HENRY Vice President Client Solutions
“When getting on a path to migrate your business forward, always engage the end-user early in the development process. Not only will they take an active interest in processes that makes their work-life easier, they are your most insightful asset as to what works and what does not in their daily workflow. Without the success of an engaged end-user, the project cannot achieve success.”
—KEVIN J. LOLLOCK | North America Regional Manager Software and Specialist SEs
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
“Leverage partners that are experts in Android to help guide you. You are not alone.”
—SHASH ANAND Vice President of Product Strategy
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Advice from Industry Experts
“Android is a dynamic ecosystem with so many levers you can pull. Dive in and start doing your homework, but don’t be intimidated and don’t do it alone. Leverage the partners you have in Barcoding, SOTI, Zebra…and lean on us for our Android expertise. You partners are here to ensure your success.”
—JOHN MCELHONE | Senior Director, Strategic Platform Partners
"Get end user buy-in early and often."
—SHANE SYNDER President
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
“Don’t overlook the value of what works for you today as you plan for tomorrow.”
—GREG BERGER Senior Field Sales Engineer
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Workshop: Mitigating Risk Assumptions & Questions Activity When tackling complex projects like technology migration and modernization, it is important to identify your organization’s gaps in knowledge or potential barriers for success.
What are the assumptions and questions you face as individuals, teams, departments, and organizations when adopting new technology?
The goal of using this collaborative, human-centered approach is to rapidly uncover risks and barriers.
In a matter of 15 minutes, we had hundreds of sticky notes listing assumptions and questions around migration and modernization.
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Workshop: Mitigating Risk High-Risk Assumptions Plotted Next, we grouped similar topics and then plotted each sticky note on a quadrant of how certain, uncertain, high, or low risk the assumption or question posed to the success or failure of the project.
Plot each assumption and question on the grid. Discuss how much risk it poses to your organization and whether or not you're equipped to handle it.
Voting on Pressing Topics Once plotted, we allowed our participants to vote on the most pressing topics in the top quadrant (High Risk + Uncertain Assumptions) and discuss the means to resolve the chosen assumptions and questions. Participants had a wide range of experiences and were each at different stages of the process, yet within minutes, the room was alive with conversation. Strangers with unique roles, industries, and organizations were building consensus and finding similarities in the questions and assumptions they were facing in updating their mobile computing platforms.
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Workshop: Mitigating Risk We examined 1600+ sticky notes to bring you the core knowledge you need to mitigate the risk of change. To use this data, review the top assumptions and questions on the following pages, and then:
Use them as guide to frame conversations with your stakeholders and partners
AREAS OF HIGH-RISK TO REVIEW
Enterprise Applications & Integration.21
Productivity.......................... 31
Change Management.............................. 23
Hardware...............................33
Resolve these questions with data from your unique environment
Cost............................................................. 25
Security & Networking.........35
Involve your users in the discussion to uncover any final assumptions
Android...................................................... 27
Support...................................37
Create a roadmap that leverages a phased approach
End User.................................................... 29
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Enterprise Applications & Integration Enterprise applications—unsurprisingly—were the largest area of concern when discussing a move to a new platform like Android. In this list of high-risk assumptions and questions, Geek Tank participants gave us a way to think through the software and integration component of an Android migration/ modernization project. Always start with the software!
Choose a partner with a reliable ecosystem of vendors and with the type of experience most closely aligned to the size of your organization.
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Do I have to build my apps from scratch?
Not necessarily. Ivanti’s Rapid Migration tool can migrate existing telnet applications and telnet quickly over to Android. Applications will work like they did on Windows Mobile but will be Android-ready. This is a great starting point to create a phased approach while you determine the need for a full app overhaul.
Will it require a lot of software development?
It is not necessary to have an internal software development group but having someone on your team with Android experience is preferred. Barcoding has a software development team that can help create, customize, and integrate your enterprise applications. In addition, our partner SOTI has a rapid application development tool called SOTISnap that can help your business create new Android applications in quick order.
Should we handle this in-house or outsource?
When investing in new technology leverage the tech community to the fullest. Engaging a partner early can help you determine where you will need support, and what components can be kept in-house. Choose a partner with a reliable ecosystem of vendors and with the type of experience most closely aligned to the size of your organization. Managed service partners like Barcoding have developed best practices through years of experience, leveraging that knowledge and outsourcing the tasks involved with deployment and management of mobile hardware can free up IT for valueadded projects.
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Enterprise Applications & Integration ASK YOURSELF:
Will corporate apps need to be rewritten?
How do we get apps migrated to Android?
Will my existing applications be compatible?
Will we have to leverage the cloud?
How will we manage our applications?
What software eases the transition?
Will we need to get a software support group with it?
Can I customize apps?
Are we prepared to integrate our ERP system to new devices?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Successfully Migrate Mobile Apps to Transform your Organization 1 How to Start Modernizing your Mobile Computing Applications 2 Ivant's Rapid Migration Platform 3
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Change Management With any major transition, change management best practices and leadership are essential. Our Geek Tank participants were spot-on when they brainstormed areas to resolve before tackling a move to Android. As you can see—there are mixed feelings about staying with the status quo. A fear of change comes through in the assumptions about cost, ability to keep old devices running, management’s viewpoint, and difficulty. At the end of the day, only you can challenge and validate assumptions like these in your business.
Only you can challenge and validate assumptions about change within your business.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Is it better to use what works today instead of changing?
By conducting an on-site or virtual operational assessment, we can help you to gather data and ask hard questions. By framing the cost for change against opportunity, you and your team will be able to base decisions on data, not assumptions.
Do I have executive sponsors that will help advocate for this project?
Internal sponsors are just as important as project collaborators. By connecting to executive leaders in other areas of the business, you can help build a stronger case for change.
How much longer can I continue to support my CE devices?
While many are extending the life of their devices and slowly refreshing hardware, it is important to assess the security risks involved in keeping unsupported software in the field.
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Change Management ASK YOURSELF:
Why can’t we just keep pen & paper?
Can we handle this change in-house?
What is the impact/cost of doing nothing?
How will I stay current in the future?
Change is too difficult and complicated
My current IT staff can do this
Why do I need to change at all?
How can we improve or innovate during a period of change?
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Building a Roadmap for Migration 4 The Technology Fallacy: How People Are the Real Key to Digital Transformation 5
Is it better to use what works today instead of changing? Do I have executive sponsors that will help advocate for this project? How can I reduce the productivity loss? How much longer can I continue to support my CE devices? How can I convince my company that we need to make this a priority? Where does this fit into the greater goals of the organization, will management prioritize?
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Cost Money is always a major driving factor. Our Geek Tank participants were all over the map in terms of cost assumptions and questions—but at the end of the day, they all knew it had the ability to make or break a project if not handled correctly.
Remember 38% in our survey said that financial justification was their number one barrier. Make sure you build a strong case.
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
How will the migration justify the overall spend?
A good partner should work with you to craft a ROI analysis of the project including quotes on all components of the solution (software, hardware, and service). At Barcoding we conduct quarterly business reviews to measure progress and report out on a variety of established metrics to ensure you have a good handle on the financial impact and ROI.
Migration is only a cost, not a benefit.
There are costs to change—that is a given. But in your calculations, you must consider the costs of doing nothing as well. What are the risks in security, in employee retention and acquisition, and in overall user efficiency if you don't change. We suspect the costs of doing nothing are more than the change. On top of that, our research and our interviews with customers showed that there are considerable benefits available on the Android platform that are not available on any other OS. This is largely due to access to new and expanded enterprise applications.
How much will we save in the long run?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
The ROI for Android will depend on your unique environment, your current device ecosystem, your users, and your implementation road map/timeline—among a myriad of other factors. That said, in our research, we heard over and over again that Android allowed the business to expand. The ability to do more with the device drives down the overall total cost of ownership. When purchased with as-a-service financing like Barcoding's OnePay, ROI can be achieved rapidly (again, depending on adoption rates).
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Cost ASK YOURSELF:
Is there a way to handle this migration affordably?
What are the hidden costs?
What is the cost to transition to Android?
Should we lease or finance technology?
What's the best way to create ROI?
Will my CFO understand me?
How can I drive costs down?
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
OnePayTM 6 Deployment Finance Strategies 7 Maximize Your Mobile Investment 8
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Android Switching to a new operating system within an enterprise environment is no small task, and our Geek Tank participants shared some widely held questions and assumptions around Android itself. Security, MDM, and lifecycle support were all major concerns. Our Geek Tankers also asked the simple question: Is Android my only choice?
Android is an evolving operating system and, as such, it is continually being enhanced with new features and bug fixes.
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Is Android my only option?
While Android is by far the most preferred and used mobile platform today, it is not the only option. Barcoding almost always recommends Android-based devices, but we are happy to discuss any unique considerations your organization might have. In general, you should always choose an operating system that is fully supported and not end-of-life (like Windows Embedded Handheld/Windows Mobile).
Will we be forced to make constant updates to our devices with Android?
No matter which platform you are on, you need to have a mechanism for ensuring that your mobile devices receive the required updates. How often you perform this update is under your control.
Do Android solutions require an MDM?
Android devices do not require an MDM solution; however, investing in an MDM tool can save you significant time, money, and risk by evaluating and implementing the required updates and patches that are released by Google and the device manufacturer.
Android is an evolving operating system and, as such, it is continually being enhanced with new features and bug fixes. Google releases both OS updates and OS patches on a regular basis. Additionally, device manufacturers also maintain their unique OS and device-level hardware support requirements with an additional layer of updates and patches. While not every update may be required, it is highly recommended that these items are reviewed on a regular basis and important updates and patches are installed.
As your device population grows, you will want to invest in an MDM solution to avoid manual updates. MDM significantly reduces the time associated with update installation and ensures that the same process is followed every time.
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Android ASK YOURSELF:
What support does Google give for Android? Will Google monitor my corporate data? Is Android secure?
Are we required to use Android Enterprise?
Will old SK Android devices support all newer Android V?
Are SDK'S on Android vendor specific?
Is Android Enterprise more or less expensive than consumer grade devices?
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Google's Android in the Enterprise 9 Key Considerations When Choosing a Modern Mobile Operating System 10
How can we know that Android will not go the way of Windows in next 10 years? Is Android more intuitive because it has a better interface? What else can I do with Android?
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End Users From our panel of experts at the Geek Tanks, we learned that getting your users involved early and often is the key to a successful project. During the workshop activities, we saw major assumptions being made around the age of the workforce being correlated to adoption capabilities (aka younger users adopt fast; older users will resist). These types of assumptions can quickly derail your project. The simplest way to avoid this is simply to get a diverse set of users involved from the beginning.
New technology always has a learning curve, no matter what level of experience your end users have.
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Will modernizing displace my old workers?
Because Barcoding has worked with such a diverse set of clients, we have seen a lot of the common missteps around user adoption, and we can help guide your company away from such potholes. We help you solicit productive feedback from users early on, and we help you bake training into the overall project roll-out (documentation building, virtual classroom, video on device, and more. Overall, modernizing doesn't have to displace your tenured employees—in fact, they might end up being your biggest champions.
Will our older workers adapt to the change?
User adoption is more about inclusion vs. exclusion. Involving end users early and including them in the process will not only give them ownership, but they will also help you determine gaps you may not have considered. New technology always has a learning curve, no matter what level of experience your end users have.
How will I handle training?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
User adoption is the key to your investment in mobile technology. A good partner can help you frame out a training program as part of the overall project road map. Training should not be tackled at the very end. Think about how you can incorporate videos and help tools on the device itself in addition to virtual and classroom training. Barcoding works with Zebra's Learning Services group to facilitate this for our customers.
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End Users ASK YOURSELF:
Is there a steep learning curve?
How do I develop a training program that works?
What about accessibility? What options are available?
How can we ensure we do not displace older workers?
How can we make user training simple and accessible?
How will we manage training our people on a new system?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
How Intelligent is Your Enterprise? 11 6 Steps to Establishing a Future-Ready Warehouse 12
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Productivity Another reason that companies resist new technology is a perceived (and often real) hit to productivity. There are a lot of factors to consider as you address questions around productivity—things like the size of your mobile workforce, size of your mobile device fleet, number of applications, complexity of processes, etc. With the right project plan, it is possible to minimize disruption during migration to Android.
With the right project plan and partner, it is possible to minimize disruptions to productivity during migration.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
How do we minimize downtime?
Minimizing downtime might be the strongest reason to choose a quality partner for your Android migration and/or modernization project. A partner like Barcoding can help you draft a project plan and timeline that will consider your unique business requirements and users. If needed, we can source refurbished equipment and rentals to fill any gaps during the transition.
What is the problem we are trying to solve?
Funny enough, a lot of people get swept up in new technology without clearly defining the problem they need to solve. We recommend taking the PPT approach. Start with your processes and determine the biggest risks, gaps, and places to add productivity. If you can identify those problems first, you can solve for technology second.
How will this impact our customers?
Trust and customer experience are the main differentiators in the market today. In the Technology Fallacy, the authors talk about affordances of technology. Where can you use a mobile device to improve the customer experience? On Android, mobile computers can be multi-purpose tools, not simple data capture devices.
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Productivity ASK YOURSELF:
Is there a steep learning curve?
How do we develop a schedule and stick to it?
Will there be a loss in productivity?
Are we assuming new technology will improve productivity?
How long does the migration process take?
What is the timeline on the rollout?
How will we measure increased user productivity?
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Barcoding Helps Fleet Farm Migrate and Modernize for a More Efficient Future with Android 13 Mobile Printing Streamlines Supply Chain and Warehouse Processes 14 Transform Your Organization By Harnessing the Workforce Mobility Revolution 15
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Hardware Moving to a new operating system means choosing, testing, configuring, deploying, and supporting new mobile computers and handheld devices. With the number of OEMs and types of computers on the market today, our Geek Tank participants brainstormed a few areas to consider.
A good partner should get to know your processes, people and business environments before recommending technology.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Which device should I choose for my business?
A common misconception is to shop around for features and devices before understanding your desired outcomes. There is no, one-size-fits-all solution. A good partner should get to know your processes, people and business environments before recommending technology. That is the Barcoding approach; we can help you select and test the right hardware for the job as well as support it through its entire lifecycle.
How do I support all these devices?
Support comes in many forms. You need to be able to repair failed equipment, respond to user questions, and resolve technical issues that arise. In most cases this requires the expertise of more than one person or organization. At Barcoding, we have found that having one vendor responsible for the entire solution who oversees the various required support organizations eliminates the confusion associated with engaging multiple separate organizations by creating a single entry point for all issue escalation and resolution reporting. This single point of contact provides the necessary visibility to look at individual issues from a system wide point of view and often results in identifying and resolving root cause cases quicker.
What should I look for in a hardware provider?
Just as important as selecting the right device is selecting the right hardware manufacturer. Each device manufacturer has its unique strengths and differentiators. Consider the strengths and weaknesses. Do they have a wide product line? Do they have a strong support presence? Where and what are the warranty options? Where is product repaired? How do they deliver their products to market?
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Hardware ASK YOURSELF:
How long will new devices last?
Why choose a consumer grade device?
Can these new devices handle our rugged environment?
Should I use the same devices for all workers?
What factors should I consider when choosing a device?
Are devices interchangeable?
What are my contingency plans?
Can we use personal devices (BYOD)?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Benefits of Mobile Device Management 16 Selecting the Right Mobile Device 17
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Security & Networking Security is a natural concern when moving to a new operating system. Think through all the connection points and test those for weaknesses. Our Geek Tank participants highlighted a few additional areas that require research and resolution before you start.
Investing in new technology mitigates the risk of relying on devices that are no longer supported with security updates.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
Is my current network able to support new technology?
Connectivity can get overlooked in the mix but making sure the connectivity layer can handle new devices is paramount. With premier OEM partnerships and Android Enterprise expertise, we can also help answer any questions you have regarding security before you jump in.
Will new technology increase security?
Security related questions often lead to more questions than answers. While new technologies often improve your overall security needs, it is only a temporary fix as cyber criminals are always searching for and finding new ways to get access to your network. New technologies are not necessarily the reason for security improvements, but new technologies do receive the focus and engineering support to continually thwart hackers while older technologies become abandoned. As a result, one of the primary drivers for the continual investment in new technology is to replace technologies that are no longer being supported.
Do I need to replace our WIFI infrastructure?
The short answer is most likely no. Android devices support backward compatible Wi-Fi networks. However, depending on the age of your existing wireless LAN you may not be able to leverage the increased processing and data transmission speeds that new android devices are capable of.
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Security & Networking ASK YOURSELF:
Will my old devices cause security issues?
Is my current network able to support new technology?
What is the security protocol?
Will devices be secure inside a firewall?
How will we deal with system failure?
Will ensuring proper security measures delay the implementation?
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
Establishing a Robust Mobile Security Policy 18 Android Security: Best-in-Class Device and Data Protection. 19
How secure is Android? How can we leverage a hybrid environment of wired & wireless? Do I have to connect to the cloud?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Support No solution is complete without a support program. How will your company manage the new devices (lock them down, push new software updates, push MDM updates, remote access to resolve issues, repair broken hardware, etc.)? Our Geek Tank participants just scratched the surface on this major topic.
As companies continue to focus on what they do best, outsourcing the support of business systems is gaining momentum.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
HIGH-RISK ASSUMPTIONS & QUESTIONS
QUESTION
SOLUTION
How will we handle deployment and support of these devices?
There are a considerable amount of tasks involved with deployment of mobile devices. Outsourcing the deployment to a partner can help you increase the speed of the implementation and avoid common errors.
Can I assume that Android will be different (and easier) to support?
Android provides a larger and more robust set of tools to manage mobile devices. Android is continually evolving and creating a richer and more secure user experience. Many customers that supported legacy environments are finding that the migration to Android requires more resources to support the broader application capabilities and updates that Android offers.
Who will take ownership of issues?
When creating your support plan, you need to consider hardware support needs, application support needs, system support needs and user support needs. Once these needs are understood you should evaluate whether internal or external resources will own which support needs and how issues will be raised, escalated, resolved and reported on. As companies continue to focus on what they do best, outsourcing the support of business systems is gaining momentum. Partnering with third party companies that specialize in mobile computing solutions is a cost effective way to attain high caliber support personnel and best practices.
Barcoding deploys and supports mobile infrastructures for some of the largest companies in the world using our GoLive Services™ which deliver a ready-to-use device right out of the box. Our StayLive Services™ help companies achieve 100% uptime with help desk, spare pool, and RMA repair.
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Support ASK YOURSELF:
Do I need an Android team?
How will migrate from Android DA to AE?
Who will be a part of the project team?
Who understands the users best and can support them?
What vendors will be involved?
How will I handle support questions?
Who will handle repairing the devices?
How will I make sure I don't lose productivity?
What do I give up if I handle all of this myself?
How will I manage all the updates?
Who will keep track of all the device service contracts?
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
CONTINUED READING CONTINUED READING
How to Deploy Mobile Devices Quickly and Easily: Barcoding's GoLive ServicesTM 20 How to Support a Fleet of Mobile Devices Effectively: Barcoding's StayLive ServicesTM 21
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Resource List Enterprise Applications & Integration 1
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/successfully-migrate-mobile-apps-to-transform-your-organization
2
https://learn.barcoding.com/listen/how-to-start
3
https://go.ivanti.com/Velocity-Solutions-Intro.html
Change Management 4
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/infographic-building-your-roadmap-for-migration
5
https://www.amazon.com/Technology-Fallacy-Digital-Transformation-Management/dp/0262039680
Cost 6
https://www.barcoding.com/blog/business_area/onepay/
7
https://learn.barcoding.com/listen/deployment-finance-strategies
8
https://learn.barcoding.com/listen/protect-mobile-investment
Android 9
https://www.android.com/enterprise/
10
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/key-considerations-when-choosing-a-modern-mobile-operating-system
End Users 11
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/how-intelligent-is-your-enterprise
12
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/6-steps-to-establishing-a-future-ready-warehouse
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Resource List Productivity 13
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/fleet-farm-migrate-and-modernize
14
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/mobile-printing-streamlines-supply-chain-and-warehouse-processes
15
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/transform-your-organization-by-harnessing-the-workforce-mobility-revolution
Hardware 16
https://learn.barcoding.com/listen/mobile-device-management
17
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/selecting-the-right-mobile-device
Security & Networking 18
https://learn.barcoding.com/android-enterprise/establishing-a-robust-mobile-security-policy-the-key-risks-and-how-enterprises-can-avoid-them
19
https://www.android.com/enterprise/security/
Support 20
https://www.barcoding.com/services/golive-services-by-barcoding-inc/
21
https://www.barcoding.com/services/staylive-services/
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
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Our Approach: Process, People, Technology Business Process First Our customers trust us to learn their business and to fully understand the process that needs improving before recommending technology. We deploy Supply Chain Architects who can conduct in-depth operational assessments to get at the heart of the issue.
Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise
Satisfied Users & Continuous Improvement We recommend solutions that improve employee satisfaction and maximize utilization. Our clients trust us to manage their device platforms and to maintain continuous improvement goals. We maintain long-term relationships with our customers, always seeking ways to drive efficiency, accuracy, and connectivity.
Technology Fit to Purpose Once we have learned about your business, our experts will use that information to choose the exact technology to fit your needs. Because we know every configuration, cable, setting, and “gotcha” that comes with the devices, our experts are trusted by some of the world’s largest companies.
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This is just the first step. We hope this research inspires you to migrate and modernize on new mobile technology.
We'd love to hear from you. barcoding.com/android-enterprise
Barcoding stands ready to help!
Barcoding, Inc. Barcoding-Canada www.barcoding.com www.barcoding-canada.ca Future Proof Your Supply Chain | Android in the Enterprise info@barcoding.com info@barcoding-canada.ca
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Toll-Free 1.888.412.SCAN (7226)
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