SMBs becoming increasingly mobile

With business demands and employee preferences bringing a growing number of tablets and smartphones into the workplace, enterprises have responded with increasing attention and investment. This trend is illustrated in two recent research reports investigating small- and mid-size business mobility strategies.

Data collected by The Business Journals revealed that 71 percent of SMBs now consider themselves mobile businesses, with wireless technology enabling employees to work effectively outside the office. And this mobility has its advantages. According to the report, "mobile companies" averaged $10.8 million in sales in 2010. Workplaces that lacked comparable technology averaged only $5.7 million in sales.

"This tech-savvy group is spending more time doing business outside of a traditional office by staying connected via smartphones or tablet, and are already looking ahead to the next step -- cloud computing," said J. Jennings Moss of Portfolio.com.

Reports from Techaisle's global IT market research suggest the mobility trend will continue. Collectively, U.S. SMBs may spend up to $32 billion on mobility solutions by the end of the year. This includes everything from mobile device purchases to application development and security solutions.

Tablets and smartphones are quickly becoming enterprise essentials. Companies are beginning to realize that these mobile devices are much more than luxury gadgets; they may be the key to long-term business success.