SMS a straightforward mobility answer
Michael Kowalzik notes that the simplest answer, in tech deployments as well as in other areas, may often prove best
Kowalzik: Mobile SMS offers a simple answer to many challenges
It is easy to get carried away with the latest IT offering or an overly complex approach when there's often a simpler, more elegant solution staring you in the face.
As 14th century English theologian and logician William of Ockham said - more or less - such an answer may often turn out best.
Look at the mobility market. Adding mobile functionality is a must for the IT industry these days and there are a plethora of approaches to doing it. Proprietary devices, mobile web pages or rich mobile media all have their place, but a simpler and more effective technology can solve many complex mobile challenges. I mean SMS.
SMS has maintained its position as the number one non-voice telephony service. SMS can, and should, be seen as potentially a vital enterprise communications tool.
It is ubiquitous. Pretty much every mobile device manufactured in the last 15 years is SMS-compatible. Moreover, nearly every mobile user from primary school kids to grandparents knows how to use it. Network coverage is also not a problem. While 3G coverage is still patchy at best, GSM networks cover much of the world.
It is also fast. SMS can be delivered nearly instantaneously and usually generates a rapid response. It's a "push" technology that reaches towards the end user, as opposed mobile web pages that end users must "pull" to them.
Finally, SMS can be hugely flexible. SMS can often be deployed to add a mobile element to an IT service quickly, simply and cost effectively.
For example, as digital transactions increase in value, authenticating the identity of a recipient becomes vital. If you're creating a secure login to a corporate intranet or an online banking portal, you want to be sure the person logging in is who they say they are.
By registering users' mobile numbers, you can integrate a mobile phone into the login procedure, tying a person's identity to their personal mobile device. Sending users a time-limited, one-time pass code via text as part of a login procedure can add an additional factor to the authentication procedure.
Another application for SMS is dialogue, with staff or with consumers. While many channels are touted as two-way communications media, SMS is one of the easiest, cheapest and most accessible. If you're looking for a way of managing dynamic scheduling information among dispersed workforces, or enabling remote workers to log their movements, SMS can be cheaper and quicker than a proprietary web interface or specialist mobile device.
Another example might be ticketing. While there have been a range of experiments with mobile ticketing using rich media content or mobile web pages, SMS can provide a simpler, more elegant solution. You might want to book your ticket using a rich online or mobile interface, but all subsequent transactions - from confirmation, check-in and scheduling alerts - can be most effectively managed using SMS.
I'm not saying SMS is the single answer to every mobile challenge for the IT industry. There are many cases where alternative technologies can give a richer experience or can facilitate more complex transactions. However, when thinking about a mobile technology solution, we might find that the simplest answer turns out to be the best.
Michael Kowalzik is chief executive officer at Tyntec