Gartner, Inc. has predicted that, by 2014, up to 90% of companies will be supporting their workplace applications on mobile devices. Mobility is now one of the most important and pervasive forms of technology in the workplace and, unlike many other ubiquitous workplace technologies, the dominance of mobility in the enterprise is largely employee-driven.
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Because the changeover to a mobile-dominant workplace has been driven by employees, many IT departments are now behind the curve in managing this dramatic new environment, leading to reduced employee morale and increased corporate costs and security risks. Due in large part to a push from younger employees feeling dissatisfied with their current level of workplace connectivity, many businesses are selecting a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) option, leaving mobile device selection and maintenance up to their employees.
For many enterprises, however, BYOD is a less than ideal response to the mobility trend, and ultimately comes with more risks than rewards. It places a notable degree of extra strain on IT teams, potentially limits collaboration between devices, and significantly increases the risk of viruses, data theft, and other security breaches.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) is an alternative solution for managing mobility in the enterprise without giving up and simply defaulting to BYOD. MDM is a process by which mobile devices are secured, deployed, supported, maintained, and monitored, either through an automated software-based solution or by a team of dedicated managers and administrators.
Ideally, a good MDM solution will involve the complete mobile lifecycle, from purchasing and distribution to maintenance to phone disposal and recycling. Telecom Lifecycle Management includes support for mobile devices from device and plan selection and purchase to deployment, support, and disposal, so that there is no time at which a given device is not covered by a solid support structure.
When looking for an MDM or TLM solution, these are some of the key things to look for before making a decision.
Optimization
A good MDM solution will not only automate or manage your currently existing mobile environment, but will first audit it and make suggestions for optimizing performance, security, and cost management. Many successful first-time optimizations locate significant savings opportunities and can help identify contract issues and security oversights that might be putting your company at risk.
Asset Tracking and Management
Look for solutions that offer a detailed and clear method for tracking ownership and usage of phones and other devices. This should include but not be limited to flagging and identification of unused or misused devices, ordering, and disposal. The best options include a self-service ordering portal for employees or managers.
Support
Although your IT team is there to manage technological issues, a quality MDM provider will offer some type of self-service, device-specific support. This support allows your employees to troubleshoot, maintain, and manage their mobile device needs without tying up valuable in-house IT resources.
Reporting
Knowledge is the key to successful management in every application. Without insight into how your employees are using their mobile devices, you will not have the tools to manage them successfully, develop or improve policy, or improve benefit and services. Choose an MDM solution that offers detailed, customized, and readable reports that will let you drill down into the minute details of your company’s day-to-day telecom footprint.
Policy and Best Practices
Recent studies show that the majority of employees believe their IT teams are failing to keep up with current trends in technology, mobility, and computing. By choosing an MDM solution with live technology experts and strategists, you gain access to trained professionals who make it their job to stay abreast of cutting-edge technology trends and translate those into workable policies and best practices individually tailored to the unique needs and requirements of your business. In order to stay up-to-date, be sure to select an MDM option that offers policy and best practice consulting.
