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MICROSOFT: Avoid London and the congestion charges by becoming a mobile


London, England, Feb 14, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- With the London
Congestion Charging starting on the 17th February, small businesses could save
up to GBP1,000 a year per employee on avoiding the drive into the office in
Central London by becoming mobile businesses.

With the right equipment and software to work productively away from the office,
small businesses with drivers facing a daily charge of GBP5 to enter London City
Centre can save a lot, enabling them to invest in their business' development
instead.

John Coulthard, Microsoft small business manager, said:

"The London Congestion Charge will hit the bottom line of small businesses in
the South East particularly hard and at Microsoft we are doing everything we can
to make remote working easier for small businesses, enabling them to be mobile,
and hopefully increase their business in the process. On top of Windows XP and
Office XP being the most secure and reliable desktop productivity package
available, they also have all the capabilities of making mobile working easy and
painless".

Research company Gartner reckons that by the end of 2007, 70 per cent of what it
calls "office workers" will carry at least three mobile devices, but very few
small businesses, it seems, have formulated a structured mobile strategy so far.
Yet it's becoming increasingly apparent that the lack of mobile policies can
seriously hamper small businesses' balance sheet.

Below are some essential tips to help your business become mobile:

1. Look at what you have Do an audit of existing mobile devices being used by
employees from mobile phones to handheld computers. Specifically check what
applications are being used. Is the software compatible with the company's
desktop applications? When they connect to the desktop and 'synchronise' their
devices, can they do any harm to the network?

2. Don't get confused Don't be hustled by the 'noise' surrounding new and
emerging mobile technologies such as wireless and 'always-on' 3G and GPRS. When
buying new mobile equipment for your workforce, look at the individual needs of
your employees first and then select the most appropriate technology.

3. Don't be stingy Don't go for the cheapest option. Cut-price and hand-me-down
portables don't cut it in the corporate workspace and will cost you more in
support and downtime in the long-term.

4. Test first Test the equipment in the field. Does the equipment need to be
robust to withstand a sudden downpour or accidental knocks? Can you read the
screen in bright sunlight? How easy is it to synchronise with the company
network? Calendar and email functions should seamlessly interact with office
networks and organisation tools. Can you reply, forward and delete emails
without hassle? Do you need remote printing?

5. Get the right applications Are the devices applications specific or can
applications and data be pushed to the portable, typically via a secure Internet
connection? Companies are increasingly using Intranet and Web portals to enable
employees to grab oven-ready information and applications on the hoof. But make
sure that information is formatted to suit individual devices. A postage stamp
screen on a handheld computer or mobile phone might not cope well with a rich
multi-media page downloaded from the company's internal Web pages.

6. Make the most of the mobile phone Make sure that employees get optimum use
out of their mobiles. Initiate training days and encourage the swapping of
experiences, user tips and potential pitfalls. Create a user community on
internal Web pages where experiences can be discussed and patch in IT managers
and back office staff.

7. Fully utilise the equipment Make sure you get maximum value out of the
equipment. If mobile workers are only using their laptops etc for checking email
and calendars and are still returning to the office to pick up essential
documents, look at how they can tap in remotely to the corporate network for
specs, maps, customer details etc.

8. Support is the key Provide at least the same level of support to mobile
workers as you would your desk-based workers. They will probably need more. You
might need to troubleshoot 24/7 for certain groups who might need to connect to
the corporate network in different time zones on dodgy connections. Microsoft's
latest operating system, Windows XP Professional, allows - with your permission
- a colleague or technical support person who is also running Windows XP to
access your machine remotely, see your screen, and control your mouse and
keyboard, while helping you fix a technical problem.

9. Be on top of security Security is key. Ensure data is frequently synchronised
and backed up via the office server in case of loss or damage, ensure users
password protect data on mobiles and use encryption where appropriate for
sensitive data.

For further information about mobility visit Microsoft's online resource for
small businesses at www.bCentral.co.uk

About Microsoft bCentral.co.uk:

Microsoft bCentral.co.uk is Microsoft's online destination for small businesses,
offering business-critical information, services and advice to small businesses
across the UK. The website gives comprehensive advice and tips on marketing,
finance, technology and administration, and has an average of 75,000 visitors
per month, a number that has grown by 100% since January 2002.

Microsoft bCentral.co.uk is located on the Web at www.bCentral.co.uk.

CONTACT: Anna Terrell, August.One Communications Tel: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail] Kirstina Reitan, August.One Communications
Tel: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]

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