IN DEPTH: Technology

The division from ever-bigger phones to tablets and laptops is continuing to blur. “We do see a consolidation among devices coming,” says Tom Spillane, marketing director for Computer Associates.

“Salespeople won’t want to carry different devices to meet different needs. As smartphones get larger, they begin to blend with tablets—but lots of people don’t want a large smartphone that doesn’t fit in their pocket.”

Those using laptops may downsize, says Greg Renner, vice president of marketing at MiTek. “We’re anticipating that there will be a shift to tablets in the future, especially as Windows tablets grow and people familiar with the software begin to use them. They offer more versatility.”

LBM Resources

White Paper: 5 Tips for Lumber Business Safety Policies

5 Tips When Putting Safety Policies in Ink for Your Lumber Business In this White Paper, you will learn about what policies to add to...

Spruce ProLink app order submissions

Cloud Computing Momentum

Mobility is aided by applications that work in the cloud—but dealers remain wary. “Cloud computing is gaining interest, but this industry still wants to own its servers,” ECi’s Harkness says.

- Advertisement -

“And cloud programs can be more expensive than servers over time. Cloud solutions will gain traction at some point, but it depends on the company’s needs and attitudes.”

Spruce’s Maiuri agrees. “There is more interest among customers in cloud- or hosted-computing. If current trends are an indication, we anticipate that cloud/hosted systems may become the deployment preference for many.”

Adds Epicor’s Rigby, “Three years ago, people were hesitant about moving to the cloud. Now, more than half of our new customers are realizing the benefits it can provide. We expect to see the number of customers utilizing cloudbased services to continue to increase within the next three years.”

Download the LBM Journal App

Stay up-to-date with industry news, articles, events and resources for LBM professionals. No registration or subscription required!

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
LBM Journal App

What's New

Digital Partners

Become a digital partner ...

Sales Comp Study

Download this 55-page, in-depth study by LBM Journal of industry trends in sales force compensation and benefits. See how your organization stacks up.

Webinars

- Advertisement -

White Papers

View all ...

- Advertisement -

Partner Content

View all ...

- Advertisement -

Registration is now open for the LBM Strategies 2024 Conference