McGuire’s Law

Bonus: Matt Bancroft outlines “Trends Driving Enterprise Mobility”

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Wikipedia launches mobile site to inform folks everywhere
• Ford uses cameraphones to engage young buyers
• Papa Johns sells $1M pizzas via mobile
• Benefits of wireless devices driving adoption in factory automation

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Indiana hospitals mobilize clinicians and staff to enhance the quality of patient care
• Coca-cola uses mobile marketing to advance their strategic vision
• Blockbuster mobilizes to enable customers to eventually view “any movie on any device”
• Doctor texts to save boy’s life
• Project Masiluleke uses SMS to fight AIDS
• BMW uses MMS campaign to generate $45M in new business

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Amazon broadens reply-go-buy mobile alerts to accelerate shopping (note: I used this to buy a Wii Fit when they were in short supply - it was a wonderful experience)
• American Airlines introduces mobile boarding passes
• Israeli hospitals using mobile video to improve healthcare
• Mincom extends asset-intensive management solutions through mobility
• Citysearch mobilizes to guide people when they really need it

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Now playing: Matthew Smith - Remember Me

Bonus: Aliza Sherman explains “How Twitter is a Communications Game Changer”

2nd Bonus: Aberdeen Group free report: “Mobile Marketing: Going Direct to Consumers’ Hips, Pockets and Purses”

3rd Bonus: O’Reilly offering Free “Twitter for Business” Teleseminar

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Sears uses mobile commerce to enable customers
• Local police use wireless surveillance to efficiently protect on dynamic campaign trail
• Decatur Georgia launches pay-by-phone parking meters

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Now playing: Relient K - The Scene And Herd

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Federal government could gain $37M in productivity per day, if it mobile-enabled more employees
• Salvation Army adopts SMS donations to overcome cash/change scarcity at bell-ringing red pots
• MasterCard simplifies credit card issuers to enable mobile purchases for customers
• Mobile ads help sell 3,000 Jaguars
• Disney using iPhone game to promote movie
• Travelers are mobile - Best Western serves them

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Now playing: The Benjamin Gate - Tonight

Bonus: The Times reports “Mobility is the new name of the game” for businesses

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Carrier moving to 2nd generation of mobile worker apps
• Export Development Canada expecting 7-digit productivity boost from mobile deployment
• Vassar mobilizes to enhance learning in the field
• Malibu Beach Inn mobilizes guest service
• Kenyan elephants texting to keep out of trouble
• How BMW uses mobile marketing

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Now playing: Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock - Charthel Hill

Bonus: Aliza Sherman shares “10 Everyday Ways to Use Twitter for Work”

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• NYC cabs adopt real-time mobile payments
• Wichita Wingnuts welcome wireless for cashless concessions
• Diet Coke launches mobile portal to reach female consumers
• BMW uses MMS to engage with customers (and sell winter tires)
• Visa mobilizes money transfers and account inquiries

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Now playing: Peacock, Charlie - Whole Lot Different

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• Arby’s mobilizes coupons
• Mobile phones making elections more fair
• Universities using smartphones to produce smartgrads
• National Geographic launches mobile division
• Mobile health initiative expanded to 20 African countries
• London Underground uses mobile wallet to speed traffic flow

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Now playing: Randy Stonehill - Still, Small Voice

Mobility is a wonderful thing. As mobility gets built into all products and services, businesses need to learn how to both capture the power of mobility and manage the dangers introduced through mobility. Here are some examples of how the power of mobility is being applied to create competitive advantage:

• IBM launches Mobility@Work consulting service
• Smithsonian launches Bluetooth ad campaign
• MapMyTracks uses GPS to engage sailing fans
• Visa, Chase launch mobile marketing capability
• SigmaCare mobilizes to improve patient care

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Now playing: Relient K - For The Band

I’m just off the phone from a conversation with Mike McGuire.  Mike reached out to me because:

1. We share a last name.
2. He works with Sprint.
3. He just read about me in the Virginia Tech Alumni magazine, making it clear that we’re both Hokies.
4. He’d read my book around the time it came out.

I asked Mike what he does.  He described his company, Manage Mobility, as “middleware” between big companies.  He does a lot of work with very big corporations that are customers of Sprint, which is a very big corporation.  Since Sprint has our way of doing business, and these other companies have their ways of doing business, Managed Mobility serves as a business solutions provider to make everything go smoothly.  Managed Mobility duplicates some of what Sprint has, including a 1-800 number for customers to call for service and a warehouse for staging handsets before they get shipped to the customer’s employees, but these duplicate resources enable Managed Mobility to translate between how the two big companies each want process and information to flow.  It also allows Managed Mobility to provide a more personalized touch, configuring devices appropriately for each client.

I enjoy hearing about the smaller companies that really make the industry work.  At Sprint, we have great people and great products, but working with folks like Mike helps us to translate our strengths into a great experience for our customers (both the corporate buyers and the end users).

I asked Mike what kind of projects were most exciting right now.  He pointed to Vettro and their “Miss Utility” application (which I think may now be formally renamed to Vettro 360 for Damage Prevention).  This application is using the power of mobility to redefine the entire “One Call” or “Call Before You Dig” industry - faster response, lower costs, and fewer (life threatening) errors - what’s not to like about that!

 Thanks for the time today Mike, and for helping make Sprint a success!