What choices if BlackBerry game is over?

Nigel Hawthorn says the channel can stay one step ahead in mobile by considering the options ahead of the customer

Given the exponential rise of the new tablet form factor, it is no surprise that more employees are using mobile devices to increase their productivity and get the job done. This year, mobile will become the platform of preference many, if not all, workers.

As organisations look to embrace mobile IT, they need guidance on the most suitable and secure mobile offerings.

Migration from BlackBerry is a given. The game is over and BlackBerry has lost. With the excellent business apps available on other platforms and BlackBerry's well-documented problems, every organisation that ran on BlackBerry will look elsewhere.

Companies using BlackBerry could take action now, considering alternatives and then beginning implementation.

However, firms cannot always afford to buy every employee a new device. BYOD can enable a quick and easy migration – not least because many employees already have alternative personal devices they can use at work.

In BYOD strategy, many departments need to collaborate. A channel partner that can work and understand the points of view of HR, legal, finance, and employees as well as IT is well placed to capitalise.

Channel partners can offer a profitable service by providing help and in-depth advice on how to implement a BYOD strategy that suits the customer's infrastructure and employees.

Privacy will be the top CIO concern in BYOD, replacing security. This is mainly because of the evolving legal environment concerning personal data, and because an acceptable approach to privacy is essential for user adoption.

Many employees don't trust their employer with their personal data, although they might not be sure what data on their personal mobile devices is monitored by their employer.

In 2014, privacy will capture CIO mindshare and become the single most important driver of BYOD success or failure. So it is imperative for channel partners to keep up to date with new rules and legislation to ensure they are providing customers with the correct guidance and advice on BYOD strategy and resulting business profits.

They need to be aware of UK and European privacy legislation, and if they sell to the public sector, the latest Cabinet Office guidelines. This will enable channel partners to give the best and most appropriate guidance to their customers.

Saying no to the personal cloud will no longer be an option. This year application blacklists will fail and IT will be forced to accept that employees cannot work without access to personal cloud productivity services.

We're also going to see more business documents stored in the personal cloud, so technologies that can secure personal cloud data will be very useful.

Channel partners must be able to advise customers on how and when to embrace the personal cloud and how to keep corporate data secure.

It is a multi-OS world, with Android expanding faster in the workplace than any other mobile OS. There is also great interest in Windows Phone as Microsoft adds enterprise features.

Customers are now choosing between three different mobile OSes, often deploying multiple platforms, which creates a headache for organisations trying to choose the right one for their users. Know the pros and cons, so you can assist your customers.

Reportedly, the highest-profile BlackBerry users in the world may switch mobile device this year. The US president and David Cameron have both been pictured with a BlackBerry and an iPad, suggesting that they use multiple OSes themselves.

Channel partners might inform their customers about which platforms are being used by high-profile users. After all, if it's good enough for Obama and Cameron, surely it should be good enough for their customers?

CIOs have started creating a mobility strategy only in the past 12 months, so they are at an early stage of development and learning on the most rapidly evolving technology we've ever seen.

Stay one step ahead of customers by understanding workplace mobile trends and implementing a coherent mobile device management policy. This will ensure the channel partner becomes a trusted provider.

Nigel Hawthorn is EMEA director at MobileIron