Whether you’re a millennial or a baby boomer, chances are you rely on mobile computers and smart technology to fuel most of your daily tasks. And whether you can remember a time before iPods and Game Boys, you know mobile computing solutions aren’t going anywhere and have made a permanent mark in our lives.

Just as you expect your own personal mobile devices and applications to represent sleek, modern, and current trends in technology, manufacturers are tasked with mirroring those devices for business use as well. With the rise of BYOD and mobile computers serving dual purposes for both professional and personal, the lines are blurred. Expectations are on the rise for hardware and software to reflect the familiar products we’re accustomed to, and if they feel dated or inefficient, employee productivity and interest tends to wane.

Further, in the past, technology products were designed as tools to enable a solution, which in return solved a problem. While that is still true today, these products must now accompany an experience. Users form emotional connections with their devices; as it’s a connection to the world, family, friends, finances, and entertainment. They aren’t satisfied with using a rugged mobile computer in the warehouse and having it emit a different experience than at home. They want the same feeling in the field as in the coffee shop. The cool factor needs to accompany mobile tablet specs and IP ratings just as it would a phone’s camera pixel size and the latest entertainment apps.

Thankfully, the industry is responding. Operating systems are upgrading and technology is progressing at a rapid pace. As manufacturers create next-gen gadgets that will further enhance our productivity and efficiency in the workplace, it also means current hardware will eventually no longer be relevant. With many Microsoft operating systems nearing their end of life (EOL), now’s the time to begin the hardware and software upgrade process to help future-proof your customer’s solutions.

For resellers, this shift from EOL operating systems triggers an opportunity to help end users transition their business proactively without ever going offline. Approximately 99% of mobile computers currently deployed with a Windows OS that will lose support by 2020, equates to a $12 billion+ global refresh opportunity. With an average selling price of $800 for mobile computers (in 2015), why not start the conversation with your customers around their upgrades today. By sharing your suggestions, and helping with the necessary software rewrites, you can simplify your customers’ transition to a new operating system—which, in turn, makes it easier for them to migrate to new devices. As a result, you shine during the transition, and gain market share. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Further, should your customers wait to upgrade their operating systems, they lose support and functionality. Further, they also face security breaches since Windows will no longer provide updates or patches. To help you with this, ScanSource POS and Barcode’s MobilETC (Enable, Train, Connect) program was created to help facilitate these conversations and transitions. Learn more here, and email OSmigration@scansource.com to get started on the path to helping your customers deploy a successful OS transition.