Sage SMB Survey on Mobile Devices: Mobile Devices Making "Anywhere" a More Efficient Workplace

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 18, 2013) - Sage North America announced today the results of its mobile device survey, which recently polled 490 small and midsized businesses (SMB) in the United States. The Sage SMB Survey on Mobile Devices showed that laptops (80 percent) and smartphones (81 percent) are the most common devices used remotely by employees to access work-related information when they are not in the office, followed by tablets (57 percent).

The Sage SMB Survey on Mobile Devices found that four out of five respondent decision makers, or 85 percent, whose companies use remote devices feel that it has had a positive effect on their company's productivity, while only one percent felt it has a negative effect. When asked about how their businesses carry out various business functions, mobile applications are commonly used for keeping business contacts organized (31 percent), scheduling (26 percent), and keeping a task list and/or assigning tasks to specific employees (23 percent).

"For many businesses, the mobile device is an extension of the office," said Joe Langner, executive vice president of Sage North America. "It affords workers the freedom to leave the office while maintaining the connectivity necessary to keep business objectives moving forward wherever they are. Mobility can support collaboration of internal teams by enabling seamless integration between the field and the office as well as eliminating potential bottlenecks between departments."

When asked about having a "bring your own device" (BYOD) policy, 48 percent responded that they already have this policy in place, while 31 percent have not considered this option. Another 9 percent have considered but decided against a BYOD strategy for their businesses. Those who decide against a BYOD policy may be missing out on a way to capitalize on the growing trend of conducting work activities on mobile devices, as the Sage survey found that smartphones, regardless of whether provided by the employer or furnished by the employee, are used for work over 58 percent of the time.

Langner continued, "Employees are looking to work beyond the 'four walls.' Take mobile salespeople, for example. They need as much data as possible to close a sale. They need to be able to access their catalog of items, create sales quotes, and even compare their sales number against their team's performance and goals. With mobile business applications, they can do this anywhere; they're no longer tethered to the office."

The Sage SMB Survey on Mobile Devices was conducted among 490 respondents and has an error rate of +/-4.4% with a 95 percent confidence level.

Complete findings from the study are available here.

About Sage
Sage is a leading global supplier of business management software and services for small and midsized businesses. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs more than 13,500 people and supports more than 6 million customers worldwide. For more information about Sage in North America, please visit the company website at NA.Sage.com. Follow Sage North America on Facebook, Facebook.com/SageNorthAmerica, and Twitter, Twitter.com/SageNAmerica.

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