Catalyst for the future: The emergence of mobile corporate real estate technologies

The trend in utilisation of mobile technologies has now reached a point where it is quickly becoming the predominant manner in which business is conducted. A recent survey confirms this, as close to 50 per cent of chief information officers said that mobile technologies and business intelligence were their top priorities for technology spending this year. Seventy per cent of companies planned to provide smartphones for some employees this year, or had already done so. In addition, almost 60 per cent of companies planned to provide tablets for some employees. Perhaps most telling is the prediction by the Wall Street Journal that, in 2014, business spending on mobile devices will overtake spending on fixed devices. Yet, many corporate real estate (CRE) organisations have yet to fully embrace these capabilities or leverage the potential game-changing impact that these new capabilities are bringing and, to enable them to do so, it would be helpful to understand how the industry has evolved in order to have a better perspective on the potential future state. In addition, having an understanding of current capabilities could allow CRE organisations to make informed decisions on adoption of these new technologies. Finally, appreciating the full capabilities that these solutions offer, including the impact on business intelligence, will ensure that CRE organisations maximise the value proposition for their services and their customers.