Last week I wrote a blog titled “I lost my Mobile Phone ! What Now?”. Part 2 talks about what typically creates the most pain from such an event - losing the contact and address book data that’s in the phone.
Lost phone & Contacts!
When traveling or otherwise unable to access your master data file – this can create a nightmare. Replacing today’s pricy smart phones can be expensive and annoying – BUT – it’s losing the contact and address book data that can really drive us crazy!
Even if you have a data backup (many do not have routine backups) how do you get immediate access to the backup if you’re traveling – particularly if out of the country? If the backup is on your PC or a company server you have to access those devices first. A properly configured “cloud computing” solution can help create an excellent “mobility insurance” policy.
Many techniques exist for doing data backups and synchronization of mobile devices and a primary database. But each has distinct advantages /disadvantages and various amounts of inconvenience and cost. I believe the best mobile phone backup system (Mobility Insurance) would have these 5 top benefits:
- Happens automatically without having to even think about it
- It’s so fast, the backup data is always as current as the phone’s data
- Doesn’t cost anything additional over standard costs already being paid
- Lets me recover data any time of day from anywhere in the world
- Allows me to use my backup data even without a replacement mobile phone
If you are lucky and work for a large organization that has a dedicated IT team keeping a whole bunch of servers running and is available whenever you call with a problem, your situation is taken care of. But if you’re an independent company owner that can’t afford a $100,000+ technology budget and on-call tech team, how do you create operational “Mobility Insurance”? Here is how it can work using Google Apps cloud computing – each item corresponds to the above numbered list:
- Backup and data synchronization happen invisibly using the wireless signal of the cell phone company you get your service from – no extra wires or sync cable connections required.
- Every time you use (or update) your phone’s address book, the system automatically confirms the mobile device data is the same as on the home-base computer.
- There is NO ongoing extra cost for this service beyond what you already pay for the mobile phone service and your Google Apps subscription.
- The Google Apps based backup data is considered AAA data (access it Anytime, Anywhere from Any Web Browser enabled device)
- You can actually directly place calls to the phone numbers in your backup address book using any phone you have access to – while logged into your Google Apps account via the internet.
The end resul? You retain a high degree of “mobility” (with a little less convenience) until you can properly replace the lost device and reload all the information that was on it. Google Apps and Google Voice together contain the needed components to create this “mobility insurance’ program at very low cost. It can support a small team, large company or huge organization. But it does take some planning and proper up-front configuration, best provided by a skilled Google Apps consultant/expert www.GAFYD.net/consulting
Whatever the cost for this assistance may be, it will likely be a fraction of the potential large costs that can occur if you lose your mobile phone at that classic – worst possible time. When that happens in business you can often lose a lot more than just a phone and some phone numbers – you might lose an entire business deal. For additional information on using Google Apps to create your own “Mobility Insurance” call me – Tom Smith / TechEn enterprises llc 303-932-8146.
