Deploying an enterprise mobility solution is a big decision, and a critical part of a company’s digital transformation. It makes sense, then, that people considering mobility for their own organizations have lots of questions about how it works, responsibilities, ongoing maintenance...and about a hundred others.
And, as luck would have it, we’re here to answer them! This post provides guidance related to some of the most common questions we’re asked, many of which fall into one of two categories: security and cost.
Mobile Device Security
Without a doubt, the #1 concern for teams vetting mobility as an organizational excellence strategy is security. The threats are real (and numerous), but the right approach significantly mitigates risks and protects a company’s devices, network, and data.
How likely is it that our devices and network could be hacked? Hackers are sophisticated, and getting more so every day. The solution is to stay two steps ahead of them—something only a mobile device management (MDM) partner has the expertise to do. MDM professionals keep themselves up to date on emerging threats and are prepared to intervene to avoid them. Their insights, paired with sophisticated software, significantly reduce the likelihood of hackers penetrating your devices and network.
What are some of the ways an MDM services provider ensures security? There are several actions that must be taken for devices and networks to be amply protected, all of which can be done using the right software. One of Barcoding’s partners, SOTI, offers broad security features, enabling an MDM provider to provide these managed mobility services:
- Push security updates when available or on a customer-determined timeline
- Perform ongoing monitoring to detect potential issues
- Remotely lock and wipe devices of their data (including passwords) should the device be lost or stolen
- Control and manage user access
- Ensure adherence to security standards like GDPR (general data protection regulations); these standards help protect data and provide legal protection to the organization in case of a mishap
- Prevent transfer of data
- Encrypt data
Can my IT team take on these responsibilities? Taking a DIY approach to security may put your mobility program at risk. There’s a complex array of steps that must be executed during, and continually after, initial deployment of the program; unless your IT team has very focused experience in each discrete task, there’s risk of downtime, mistakes, data breaches, and more.
And let’s not forget that, today, asking your IT team to take on the required work will compound the strain they’re already feeling. An MDM partner ensures not just security, but optimum performance of devices and the program, too (part of what’s called IT asset management, or ITAM). An MDM partner will also use the data generated to inform decisions around planning for maintenance, device upgrades, ongoing optimization/productivity maximization, end-of-life management, and several more.
Does your IT team have the bandwidth or expertise necessary to do all this...and do it well?
Enterprise Mobility Cost
Can I save money doing mobile device management in-house? Engaging an MDM partner is an investment, and one that has to be considered in terms of actual costs as well as the costs (risks) associated with doing it in-house.
It’s important to recognize that doing your own mobile device management makes you very vulnerable to some serious and significant costs. Imagine what would happen if your team failed to properly update your fleet of devices or lock down and wipe data from a lost or stolen device? According to the Ponemon Institute's 2020 “Cost of Data Breach Study,” the average for a data breach in the United States has hit an all-time high of $8.64 million—how would you recover, financially and reputationally, from a security breach?
An experienced MDM partner doesn’t let these things happen.
You may also need to add to your team to get the program off the ground, since a typical IT professional won’t have experience needed to deploy a sophisticated program.
My team is right here, so aren’t they more able to respond to user needs? Think about the last time you made a request of your IT team—was it handled quickly...or were you told you’d be “next in line” when they had spare time to address your issue? A partner vendor is obligated and eager to serve you well and has a stake in your ongoing satisfaction.
Barcoding, for example, has a dedicated team available 24/7 to resolve issues and maintain optimum uptime of your devices and the overall performance of your program. We eat, sleep, and breathe mobility, and we work at the speed you need for any issues, service needs, and questions. Could you describe your IT team in these same terms? If not, you need a partner that will take on these responsibilities...and allow you to focus on digital transformation and operational excellence.
Hopefully we’ve given you plenty to think about as you consider your mobility management options. If you’d like to learn a bit more about the benefits of working with an MDM partner, you can reach out to us, or download our guide, MDM: DIY or Outsource?
