Mobilising the Australian channel

Kathy Paladino, president of Motorola Enterprise Mobility Business (EMB), has 20 years of IT experience under her belt.

Paladino believes in her channel and ensures the vendor has a strong channel focus.

She took time out from her recent visit to Australia to talk to CRN about the future of the Australian mobility market.

CRN: What does Motorola see for the future of mobility in the business space?

Kathy Paladino: The worldwide mobile workforce is growing tremendously – in fact, IDC predicts that the worldwide mobile workforce will reach more than one billion by the year 2011.

These mobile workers have one thing in common – they need real-time, secure access to information regardless of location or circumstance.

CRN: Can you give an example relevant to resellers?

KP: Let’s look at healthcare – for example medication administration at a patient’s bedside.

The transaction is completed and the network is updated at the patient’s bedside with a mobile computer at their fingertips, removing the likelyhood of human error by scanning a patient’s barcode on their wristband, confirming their identity and getting ‘instant’ validation as to the correct dosage and medicine type.

All correct, all updated real-time in the patient’s files – allowing nurses more time for what matters most –patients. Think about route delivery – drivers are able to securely access the corporate database (behind the firewall), allowing them instant access to customer files.

These field workers are able to make on-the-spot decisions at their customer’s site.

CRN: What vertical will Motorola be targeting in Australia?

KP: Motorola EMB in Australia has identified the following industries: resources and mining, healthcare, field sales and field mobility.

These industries demonstrate significant scope for productivity gains.

CRN: What investment has the company made locally to win business?

KP: Motorola EMB has established a Perth office and expanded the team in Brisbane and NZ to meet demand in these areas.

CRN: What is your channel strategy?

KP: Channel First focus! Our award-winning PartnerSelect program is the foundation for our channel model, with more than 90 percent of our business being transacted through our channel.

Our PartnerSelect program has more than 10,000 members around the world.

With more than 90 percent of our business transacted through our channel, it’s the foundation of our go-to-market strategy and allows us to provide end-to-end enterprise solutions to our customers.

CRN: Do you think the IT sector will survive the financial crisis?

KP: I do.

You might see some consolidation along the way, with companies either partnering for success or merging to provide a more complete solution (i.e. Motorola’s acquisition of Symbol Technologies), but history has shown that the markets will return to strength.

In our business, our strong return on investment is a very compelling proposition for our customers.

We continue to see investments throughout the supply chain where IT helps to increase their productivity. Coca-Cola for example, using our mobile computing solutions, has been able to add additional stops per day for each driver because of these productivity-enhancing tools.

In retail – a highly competitive industry – retailers continue to invest in technology solutions that improve the customer experience whether it’s shopper self-checkout, line busting, price checking or other solutions.

CRN: How will the acquisition of AirDefense help?

KP: The acquisition of AirDefense by Motorola was the logical next step to a very successful three-year OEM partnership.

Together with AirDefense, we want to secure enterprise networks with a common platform solution providing superior indoor and outdoor wireless protection for users operating in a variety of settings including corporate headquarters; manufacturing; distribution plants and remote branch offices.

CRN: What changes have inspired you in the IT industry?

KP: True game changing innovation and inventions.

Think about the cell phone for example, changing the way people communicate – bringing their conversations wherever they are.

Just look around you the next time you’re on a plane and you arrive at your destination, everyone is turning on their cell phones to connect with their colleagues, family and friends.

What about the Internet?

Bringing a world of connection into our homes and offices, things such as Google with 2.7 billion searches each month! It makes you wonder where people got this level of information before.