My experience receiving a corporate-purchased and managed mobile device (notebook, tablet, smartphone or PDA) has always been the same. An IT support expert stops by my work area and hands me the device and the power charger. He or she may say, "Good luck." Then, they walk away. I'm usually filled with short-term euphoria, followed by frustration when attempting to access something I should be able to do, but don't know how. When I ask the IT support expert, the inevitable response is, "Fill out a help ticket and I'll get to it." At this point, I'm fuming.

I don't think my situation is unique.

Contrast the typical enterprise experience with buying a consumer product. While the sales environment varies depending on equipment purchased and the retailer, it is inevitably better than at work. The difference is that as a work tool the device is significantly more valuable as a productivity-enabler.

Here are some ideas on how to improve the mobile-user experience when deploying new devices. Many are not unique:

1.) Return the phone to its original packaging after the device is provisioned. Unboxing a new device can be a special experience.

2.) Customize the smartphone or tablet for the user (logins, application access, etc.)

3.) Provide a primer on protecting personal privacy on a mobile device. This is a way to help an employee understand their company's security policy from their own point of view and self-interest. Explain what happens if they lose the device, including who to contact and support timeline.

4.) Walk the employee through five common tasks, including sending an email, accessing a calendar, utilizing built-in UC capabilities, key enterprise-specific apps and MOST IMPORTANTLY at least one cool feature they may not have known about.

5.) Label each device, battery and accessory with a support hotline number and/or Web address in case they run into trouble. This information should already be pre-loaded in the device's address book.

... And smile. This is the critical moment that determines employee satisfaction with IT. It will also give IT more flexibility when dealing with problems when they arise. IT isn't an adversary or even just a service group. IT is an integral productivity partner. That relationship develops when devices are given out. Don't overlook the opportunity.