The word "innovation" is one of the most commonly used words in the business world today. There's a huge emphasis on its role in ensuring profitability, growth and success. But, while many companies accept the importance of innovation to their survival, not all are taking steps to make it happen.

One of the simplest, fastest and most cost-effective ways for a business to become more innovative is to become more mobile. Here's an example: our client, a leading pharmacy chain, used to rely on an out-dated, hand-held scanner and an old PC to perform routine activities such as placing orders, changing prices, and receiving goods.

The scanner was so large and complicated, and so expensive to maintain and repair, that store managers were reluctant to train employees to use it. Subsequently, managers were forced to perform all the scanner-oriented tasks themselves. To make matters worse, the scanner's limited functionality meant that some of the tasks had to be performed on the PC in the back office, making managers practically invisible to employees and customers.

Our client knew this wasn't good for business. They wanted their managers out in the store, communicating with customers, motivating employees, identifying new sales opportunities, and processing routine retail activities efficiently and on the fly.

Present provided a cost-effective mobile solution consisting of an iPod, fitted with a scanner. Now managers and employees alike are performing routine tasks quickly and easily from the most appropriate location in the store. For price changes they simply scan the product with the iPod and the new price is instantly synchronized with the point of sale. Inventory can be updated and new product ordered right at the shelf, and labels can be printed wirelessly. They can also look up product availability at nearby stores and advise the customer on the spot. A valuable security feature of the new iPod is that should it leave the building, stored data is deleted automatically. Importantly, employees, many of whom are young students, have embraced the iPod solution -- and managers are now out front, where they belong.

Another example is a newspaper client who at one time was struggling to achieve target advertising revenue. Present developed the supporting infrastructure for a free mobile app they developed to enable their readership -- largely busy, highly mobile professionals -- to access the paper's online format wirelessly. Today, they have a waiting list of advertisers eager to communicate their offerings, optimizing all the advantages of an engaging and interactive digital advertising platform.

Clearly, a little mobility can go a long way. So why isn't every company embracing it? We believe it's because many still feel that innovation and anything to do with it -- is all about IT. And in some minds, IT can seem complicated, time consuming and expensive.

The fact is, innovation is actually more about business than IT. It's about asking yourself where you want the business to go or what you want to improve, how you're going to get there, what tools you need, and how you will ultimately deploy your solution. These questions essentially boil down to four key steps: vision, strategy, tools, and implementation. And while you may need some IT people at the table, what you are dealing with is fundamentally a business project -- not an IT project.

In talking to companies we've learned that many certainly plan to "go mobile" in some shape or other, but not for a couple of years. But there is a danger in waiting -- because not everyone is. Those harnessing mobility now are already differentiating themselves by providing new offerings, better ways of doing things, and more conveniences for their customers. And we believe they are acting now because, like our drug store and newspaper clients, in fact like all Present clients, they understand that IT is simply an enabler of innovation -- and not the innovation itself.

For information about how we can help your business become more innovative and profitable, please visit Present’s IT Innovation page.

To attend Present's free, no-obligation, half-day Mobility & Innovation Workshop, click here: info@present.ca
The word "innovation" is one of the most commonly used words in the business world today. There's a huge emphasis on its role in ensuring profitability, growth and success. But, while many companies accept the importance of innovation to their survival, not all are taking steps to make it happen.

One of the simplest, fastest and most cost-effective ways for a business to become more innovative is to become more mobile. Here's an example: our client, a leading pharmacy chain, used to rely on an out-dated, hand-held scanner and an old PC to perform routine activities such as placing orders, changing prices, and receiving goods.

The scanner was so large and complicated, and so expensive to maintain and repair, that store managers were reluctant to train employees to use it. Subsequently, managers were forced to perform all the scanner-oriented tasks themselves. To make matters worse, the scanner's limited functionality meant that some of the tasks had to be performed on the PC in the back office, making managers practically invisible to employees and customers.

Our client knew this wasn't good for business. They wanted their managers out in the store, communicating with customers, motivating employees, identifying new sales opportunities, and processing routine retail activities efficiently and on the fly.

Present provided a cost-effective mobile solution consisting of an iPod, fitted with a scanner. Now managers and employees alike are performing routine tasks quickly and easily from the most appropriate location in the store. For price changes they simply scan the product with the iPod and the new price is instantly synchronized with the point of sale. Inventory can be updated and new product ordered right at the shelf, and labels can be printed wirelessly. They can also look up product availability at nearby stores and advise the customer on the spot. A valuable security feature of the new iPod is that should it leave the building, stored data is deleted automatically. Importantly, employees, many of whom are young students, have embraced the iPod solution -- and managers are now out front, where they belong.

Another example is a newspaper client who at one time was struggling to achieve target advertising revenue. Present developed the supporting infrastructure for a free mobile app they developed to enable their readership -- largely busy, highly mobile professionals -- to access the paper's online format wirelessly. Today, they have a waiting list of advertisers eager to communicate their offerings, optimizing all the advantages of an engaging and interactive digital advertising platform.

Clearly, a little mobility can go a long way. So why isn't every company embracing it? We believe it's because many still feel that innovation and anything to do with it -- is all about IT. And in some minds, IT can seem complicated, time consuming and expensive.

The fact is, innovation is actually more about business than IT. It's about asking yourself where you want the business to go or what you want to improve, how you're going to get there, what tools you need, and how you will ultimately deploy your solution. These questions essentially boil down to four key steps: vision, strategy, tools, and implementation. And while you may need some IT people at the table, what you are dealing with is fundamentally a business project -- not an IT project.

In talking to companies we've learned that many certainly plan to "go mobile" in some shape or other, but not for a couple of years. But there is a danger in waiting -- because not everyone is. Those harnessing mobility now are already differentiating themselves by providing new offerings, better ways of doing things, and more conveniences for their customers. And we believe they are acting now because, like our drug store and newspaper clients, in fact like all Present clients, they understand that IT is simply an enabler of innovation -- and not the innovation itself.

For information about how we can help your business become more innovative and profitable, please visit Present’s IT Innovation page.

To attend Present's free, no-obligation, half-day Mobility & Innovation Workshop, click here: info@present.ca