The Apple invasion into corporate has started and I can't say if I am excited or scared. As an IT manager, I have nightmares over all the support and technical issues of integrating Apple hardware and software into our company. As an owner of ample Apple products, I'm excited about being able to use my iPhone and MacBooks at the company.
For years many of us have fought to get Apple products into our company's infrastructure. Much to our dismay, the cost involved with supporting Apple products across the whole enterprise always outweighed the benefit. It didn't help that even Steve Jobs for many years held a firm stance on being a consumer oriented company.
Things are changing. There is a whole new level of curiosity and excitement about getting Apple stamped devices ready to work with our corporate IT. There are more and more employees demanding access for their Apple hardware. Even the bosses from the top are more open. They are curious and in some cases even ready to make the changes. I'm sure their experience with other Apple products had nothing to do with it. ;-)
Take a look at these excerpts from corporate executives and CEO's in the latest Business Week magazine article "The Mac in the Gray Flannel":
Companies are stepping up for their employees and starting to support Apple in the business environment. Notable ones include:
Another factor that could drive increased usage in coming years is the droves of college students who have known nothing but their Apple during their higher education coming into the workplace.
All this translates into changes for many of our corporate IT policies . We have to adapt to the demand and to be open to the idea of sharing our corporate networks and resources and even support Apple devices on our own (no in-house Genius Bar).
The best advice given we've heard so far . . . keep an open mind and get ready to be Appleified.
Is your company ready for the Apple Invasion? What kind of resources are you setting up to support the influx of Apple users in your company?
Things are changing. There is a whole new level of curiosity and excitement about getting Apple stamped devices ready to work with our corporate IT. There are more and more employees demanding access for their Apple hardware. Even the bosses from the top are more open. They are curious and in some cases even ready to make the changes. I'm sure their experience with other Apple products had nothing to do with it. ;-)
Take a look at these excerpts from corporate executives and CEO's in the latest Business Week magazine article "The Mac in the Gray Flannel":
- Anthony Decanti, Vice-president for technology Werner Enterprises ($2B in sales)
- Werner Enterprises (WERN), a trucking company based in Omaha with $2 billion in sales, decided to start letting employees use a variety of computers a few years ago. When they began to choose Macs, the company reached out to Apple. "They all but told us to take a hike," says Anthony Decanti, vice-president for technology. But Decanti persisted, and Apple eventually sent an account rep.
- Michele Goins, Chief Information Officer at Juniper Networks
- "If we opened it up today, I think 25% of our employees would choose Macs," she says.
- Scott Kriens, CEO At Sunnyvale (Calif.)-based Juniper
- One of the people with a new Mac Book laptop. "Everybody told me I should get one," he says. "It's not anything to do with negative perceptions about Microsoft. It's just that Macs are cool."
- Mark Slaga, Chief Information Officer of Dimension Data
- A large computer services firm based in suburban Johannesburg, says he has received 25 e-mails recently from employees who want permission to use Macs at work.
- Anthony Decanti, Vice-president for technology Werner Enterprises ($2B in sales)
In a survey of 250 diverse companies that has yet to be released, the market research firm Yankee Group found that 87% now have at least some Apple computers in their offices, up from 48% two years ago.
Companies are stepping up for their employees and starting to support Apple in the business environment. Notable ones include:
- IBM
- Cisco
- Dayton, Sky; CEO EarthLink Network
- Eisner, Michael; CEO Disney Corp.
- Gore, Al; U.S. ex Vice-President
- Hawk, Tony; skateboarder
- Jobs, Steve; co-founder Apple Computer
- Lerner, Sandy; founder of Cisco Systems, Urban Decay
- Lowe, Bill; former IBM bigwig
- MacCready, Paul; inventor
- Lucas, George; director/producer
- Rao, P.V. Narashima; ex Prime Minister of India
- Sheetrit, Meir; Minister of Justice, Israel
- Jay-Z (Yes, HP paid me. But I use an Apple.)
- Tigret, Isacc; founder - Hard Rock Café
- Yeltsin, Boris; ex Soviet president
- Larry Ellison, Chairman, CEO and Founder Oracle Corp.
- Roy Disney, Disney Board of Directors
Another factor that could drive increased usage in coming years is the droves of college students who have known nothing but their Apple during their higher education coming into the workplace.
According to a survey of 1,200 undergrads by researcher Student Monitor this year, 43% of college students who intend to buy a laptop plan to buy a Mac, up from 8% in 2003.
Combine this with constant word of mouth marketing from colleagues, friends and family and there is a significant shift in usage patterns in favor of Apple in corporate environments.All this translates into changes for many of our corporate IT policies . We have to adapt to the demand and to be open to the idea of sharing our corporate networks and resources and even support Apple devices on our own (no in-house Genius Bar).
The best advice given we've heard so far . . . keep an open mind and get ready to be Appleified.
Is your company ready for the Apple Invasion? What kind of resources are you setting up to support the influx of Apple users in your company?
Comment