Staying connected has never been easier
variety of options helps business find right match
Investing in the right mobile technology to keep your business ahead of the competition has never been easier, thanks to today’s cutting-edge smartphones and tablets.
But with so many choices available, which one is right for you? It depends how you need to stay connected to your business using options that include Canada’s highest-speed wireless (LTE) network, says Reade Barber, vice-president, mobile and fixed Internet, for Rogers.
“You need to take a look at what type of business you are in,” Mr. Barber says. “Are you in the office all the time or are you a sales professional, such as a real estate agent, who is in a car all the time?
“It’s also useful to take a look at how you like to conduct your business when you are in the office and when you are out of the office. Then you can start selecting the right device.²
For those who are out of the office much of the time, he says a connecting tablet might be the most productive option.
“But if you just need to have a flow of information, then a smartphone with a smaller screen — a BlackBerry or an Android device — could be the perfect option for you.”
For Trevor Herrles of Herrles Country Farm Market (on Twitter: @HerrlesMarket) near Waterloo, Ont., the most suitable choice for his family’s strawberry farm business is a BlackBerry.
“I have remained loyal to BlackBerry since the begin- ning, and owned probably 15 devices between then and now,” he says.
“As for the rest of the family, I got them hooked about three years ago.”²
He says Rogers helped him find the perfect solution, one that keeps everyone focused on growing the family business.
“We amalgamated our wireless plan with Rogers and purchased seven devices. This has given us outstanding connectivity between family members throughout our properties, our business, our suppliers, our agronomists, our Twitter followers and our staff.”
Whether you have a small business or a growing company like the Herrles’ farm operation, flexible solutions can be found to meet your business plan.
Mr. Barber says this flexibility carries over into the type of network solution a customer chooses, such as the high security of an LTE business solution or a virtual private network.
Rogers’ products allow you to conduct your business from your desk, down the street or halfway around the world.
now, it is more economical than ever to stay connected with new roaming packages to help you during your travels.
“We are also seeing a lot of small business professionals have multiple devices,” Mr. Barber says.
“The smartphone is basically their lifeline — an LTE device to have with them all the time to communicate quickly and effectively.
“But when they want to review a detailed presentation or a spreadsheet, then more and more of them are using a netbook or an LTE-enabled tablet. Some of the new Windows 8 tablets that were launched recently are highly productive tools and small businesses are adopting them,” Mr. Barber says.
“A small business specialist can help you evaluate those decisions.”