Mobile Management With a Comprehensive View

While some IT managers view mobile management as a cost of doing business, others see it as a cost saver. These are two very different ways to look at the same function and while security concerns spawned the first management solutions for mobile devices, companies now recognize that these solutions have much wider applications. Companies can use these to secure mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers but the solutions also manage their telecommunications and data expenses.

Holistic View of Mobile Management

A comprehensive platform brings together two areas traditionally considered very different. It combines mobile device management, or MDM, with telecommunications expense management, sometimes called TEM. Combining these two areas creates a lifecycle management solution for mobile devices that literally pays for itself. A holistic platform can reduce expenses related to mobile devices by an impressive 30 percent each year, with the savings flowing to the company bottom line.

This platform should not be confused with using separate TEM and MDM applications. An integrated solution encompasses device management, applications, security, and expense control. This is no simple feat, considering the current variety of mobile devices, apps, operating systems, and carriers. A good solution can accommodate a diverse range of devices and enables management in real-time throughout the lifecycle of these devices. These platforms are developed to cover personal devices that employees take to work as well as company-issued smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

Characteristics of Effective Mobile Management Solutions

Management programs for mobile devices should have several features. Most importantly, they should make it easy for businesses to view usage of the devices included in the system. Individuals responsible for device management should have access to voice, data, and messaging statistics as well as international calling, 411 calls, and other services that affect corporate mobile expenses. These administrators should be able to impose limits that trigger alerts when usage thresholds are neared.

Reports customized for various purposes make it easier for different areas of the company to perform budgeting. For example, department heads can be authorized to run reports for their areas and use the information when developing their budget for the upcoming year. These reports will also help them determine if employees are complying with company usage policies. Enforcement becomes possible when hard data is available because there is no disputing the information in these reports.

Not every MDM solution on the market permits real-time management of telecommunication expenses. When a business uses one that does, corporate intelligence increases, allowing the business to transform a guideline into the ability to reduce costs. The company can monitor and optimize the expenses over device lifetimes, minimizing costs that were once hidden.

This process allows for additional customization such as bundling devices and plans to decrease corporate expenses and tailoring corporate reimbursement for mobile device expenses by departments and users. It becomes easier to identify expenses for devices that are out of service and expense reimbursements for terminated employees. Real-time management also makes it easier to determine when plan adjustments or device upgrades are necessary.

Gill-Technoligies.com can help you make your mobile management program more effective for your business. Instead of putting someone in charge of your mobile management that has little or no experience, let our team of experts help! For more information, visit our website today!

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Mobile Device Management Presents Challenges for IT Managers

Cell phones like iPads can now be found in even the smallest businesses, making it important for IT managers to engage in mobile device management. If employees are not taking their personal mobiles to work (BYOD), employers are providing these devices, creating challenges for IT managers tasked with protecting company networks from unauthorized use. On any given day, IT staff may not know how many or what type of devices are accessing their networks, creating a very dangerous situation.

The Mobile Device Management Challenge

A single employee who unintentionally exposes the company to a network security breach can cripple operations and even incur regulatory penalties. This presents quite a challenge for IT staff, which means it also creates an opportunity for companies that provide a solution. These organizations help businesses manage and secure mobile devices with authorized access to corporate networks. There is much potential in this line of work because the situation will only become more complex as the popularity of smart phones become standard fixtures in the workplace.

IT managers must promote safe use of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, whether these are personally owned or company-provided. Otherwise, the security breach or leak could be catastrophic. While some employers originally banned personally owned devices from the workplace, they have quickly realized that this is, at the very least, impractical and in most cases, impossible. The situation is complicated by the fact that many employees use these devices to perform their jobs.

The Mobile Device Management Solution

A new aspect of the IT channel has developed and it is called the mobility management service provider, or MMSP. It encompasses consulting services designed to establish workplace mobile device policies, management, and security. These services help business customers implement a secure platform for all devices mobile that is compliant with data storage, recovery, use, and transmission. Providers of these solutions must harness the opportunities presented by this environment to develop solutions for businesses of all sizes.

These solution providers are not without external resources. The Computing Technology Industry Association, referred to as CompTIA, is lending a helping hand by developing resources and training programs geared toward enterprise-wide accommodation of mobile devices. It has developed an advisory board featuring phone manufacturers, carriers, application developers, and solution providers that will help direct its training initiatives.

However, solution providers should not await a program from CompTIA. They should reach out to businesses, helping them to manage mobile fleets and protect their networks. Through this collaboration, IT managers can develop company policies regarding use of personal cell phones and other smart devices. They can also be convinced to secure these devices or issue devices owned by the company.

Several benefits are realized when paying to make a personal cell phone secure. IT managers protect the employer and provide workers with a value-added benefit. Though time and effort are required to manage mobile devices within the workplace, these are justified. Solution providers providing device management offer the framework required to make the job easier for IT managers who already have too much on their plates.

Gill-Technoligies.com is an industry leader in mobile device management solutions. Our mobile device management services will aid you in keeping your networks secure and your business information safe from intruders. For more information, visit our website today!

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