By Jennifer Warren, Sales Executive, Motus
Mobile phones play an important role in the way many employees function within their company. But just as important is how the company manages those mobile phones. If the business isn’t using a bring your own device program, they are tasked with mobile phone asset management. Unfortunately, depending on the approach, it can be expensive and difficult to track and manage those assets. In this post we’ll share some challenges to implementing the right mobile phone asset management system and potential solutions.
Corporate-Liable Devices
When a company provides employees with mobile phones to be used for business, these are called corporate-liable devices. Also referred to as company-provided devices, businesses face the biggest challenge trying to manage this program in-house.
The reasons are simple. Companies naturally expect IT departments to manage, support and trouble shoot these devices. However, these departments are rarely equipped with the knowledge, experience or manpower to provide adequate support. As a result, in house mobile phone asset management results in an excess of unused phones that quickly become outdated.
Businesses may see that expense as minimal when compared with the stress placed on IT to provide help desk support. As IT professionals generally stick to their expertise, this is likely to require additional head count. Either that, or frustration on both sides as IT and employees attempt to fix every device issue.
Outsourced Mobility Programs
It’s easy to assume that outsourcing something a company can do in-house will cost more. What’s hiring another IT person and wasting capital on unused mobile devices in comparison? As it turns out, those expenses add up. Fortunately, outsourcing a company’s mobility program is more than just shifting mobile phone asset management.
In regards to mobile phone asset management, an outsourced company can provide serious benefits. First, they can potentially offer world-class support and expertise behind each phone call. That alone saves most companies additional head count and the headache of internal troubleshooting.
Second, they can manage devices at all stages. That means kitting mobile phones for employees at the outset of the program. Kitting includes uploading the proper software to each device before it reaches the employee. And, should the phone break? The right provider can repair a salvageable device in a timely manner and send a replacement device as required.
What happens when it comes time to retire the device? The right provider ensures the device recovery–lowering the total cost of ownership–and recycles it in a manner that protects company data. Any other method exposes a company to security risk.
What comes next?
Companies thinking through their mobile phone asset management don’t have to look very far to see the best solution is beyond what they can manage internally. Financial costs and the strain on IT resources motivate many companies to explore their outsourced mobility program options. The security and expertise they provide is an additional driver. Is your company interested in learning more about managed mobility service providers? Explore everything our offering entails on our Device Solutions page.
