We’re kicking off season 2 of We Got Your Mac with a new modular format. In this episode, we begin a season-long journey following a Mac deployment project from the early stages. We also hear from SHI’s Rachel Shiff on how she uses her Mac at work and why she thinks employee choice is critical.
Retail therapy
First, Tom Rice joins Victoria to discuss the initial stages of a significant Apple deployment project for a large retail organization. The aim with this project is to replace a legacy point-of-sale (POS) system with a modern, third-party POS system running on iPhones and iPads. The power and portability of iOS devices has allowed Apple to make major inroads into the retail space in recent years. Powerful handheld devices essentially untether employees from a traditional checkout counter, allowing them to assist customers and facilitate transactions wherever it’s most convenient.
With the introduction of iOS devices in customer-facing roles, back-office employees began asking whether they could use Apple products as well. It makes sense. Since so many consumers are Apple users in their personal lives, they would prefer to use those same devices at work. As long as the price is right for the organization, why not offer these employees the choice of their preferred platform?
Of course, introducing employee choice isn’t as simple as buying a fleet of Macs. It requires designing a solution that integrates the new Mac devices with the organization’s existing legacy IT systems and applications. This includes ensuring compatibility with current management and security frameworks and addressing the logistical challenges of rolling out new hardware across a dispersed geographic area.
We’ll be following this deployment project throughout the season, so be sure to check back for future updates.
(Platform) variety is the spice of life
Pushing to adopt the Mac platform may lead to tunnel vision. The Mac isn’t necessarily “better” for everyone as plenty of people prefer to use other platforms, but in some cases, users just don’t know what they’re missing.
Rachel Shiff was a long-time Windows user who transitioned to using a Mac at SHI. For her, using a Mac was never an option…or a desire. But once she tried it (and got used to it), she couldn’t go back.
“I loved my Windows platform, I was very, very efficient…Being organized was really paramount in all of my roles here at SHI. Going to a new platform with a new workflow for organization completely freaked me out. But I was really lucky. I mean, it only took me a week to feel really proficient using a Mac.”
Now, Rachel leans on the continuity of the Apple ecosystem to stay organized across multiple devices.
Her advice is to try everything and use what makes you most comfortable and effective.
“I do really believe that people should use the platform that they feel most comfortable and productive on. But if you have just fear that’s stopping you from trying a Mac and really seeing if it could work for you, either for work or for personal, I would say make that leap. Try it out, especially if you’re an iPhone user. I think people will find themselves a lot more comfortable with it than they imagine. But if it’s not for you, that’s totally OK too. There’s really cool technology on both sides of the house.”
Be sure to check out WeGotYourMac.com for more episodes and content on Mac adoption and other end-user computing topics.
This episode of We Got Your Mac is presented in collaboration with SHI’s Mac Readiness Assessment. For a limited time, eligible customers who complete the assessment get a free trial of top-tier MDM solutions like Jamf Pro or Kandji. Visit SHI.com/MacAssessment today to see how SHI can unlock the full potential of your Apple fleet.
We Got Your Mac is available on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
