Establishing and running a business isn’t straightforward. If small business owners find it hard, they are doing it right. A steady march towards digital transformation due to remote or hybrid work models is increasing the use of mobile devices, especially personal devices, at work. However, owners find it difficult to find the time and resources to manage each device to ensure safety, security, and usability. So, it may be time to adopt mobile device management software for their organization.

How Does Device Management Help?

  • Implement a BYOD Policy 

The rising use of personal devices for work-related activities has become a popular trend. In fact, 75 percent of employees use their personal phones to access work-related data. BYOD can make the mobile workforce more affordable by eliminating the need to purchase extra hardware.

In addition to cost-optimization, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has the potential to bring substantial benefits to small businesses, but can present considerable risks and implementation challenges. 

Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are easier to lose than other endpoints, which makes BYOD risky. The risk is greater if employees do not follow the organization’s security procedures or have weak passwords.

A mobile device management solution can double up as a BYOD management tool. With MDM software, business owners can configure, manage and monitor all personal devices from a single console. 

  • Ensure Compliance 

Small but growing businesses see an accelerated uptake of employees working remotely and in hybrid environments, driving a significant focus on mobile device management solutions.

One of the main roles of MDM is to improve the security and functionality of all mobile devices used in a business which helps organizations meet regulatory compliance requirements.

With the rise in data protection mandates such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ISO 2700, and industry-specific compliance rules, organizations have a legal responsibility for securing all data.

Once companies create their compliance policies, they can use the MDM solution to enforce the protection of company data by requiring employees and devices to meet the business requirements.

  • Enhance Productivity

The online world is full of distractions. To ensure employees restrict their browsing to work-related websites, use MDM to configure devices for email, Wi-Fi, and set up and apply access points to mobile devices over the air. 

Owners can whitelist websites and apps to improve working conditions. For certain use cases, mobile devices can be locked down in kiosk mode which makes the device work specific–a single app or single purpose device.

As the devices’ usage is limited to one or multiple applications, employees do not find themselves distracted to use any non-work-related apps during work hours, leading to optimized productivity.

  • Achieve Cost Savings 

MDM helps save time. It would take a good deal of time to set up a phone with MDM. A device management solution with Android Zero-Touch enrollment or Apple DEP capability would take a few minutes.

Further time-saving benefits include the reduction of on-site visits or in-person meetings of IT personnel. IT admins can remotely troubleshoot, reset a password, lock and wipe a device, or deploy apps.

MDM significantly reduces the risk of data loss with lost or stolen devices, resulting in compliance violations. It reduces the company’s exposure to financial penalties. 

Mobile device management also ensures the devices under management have app usage restrictions, saving on data costs. 

Choosing Your Mobile Device Management Solution

While pricing varies significantly depending on the MDM’s features and the number of licenses, the 2022 Maximizing Mobile Value study by Oxford Economics found organizations are spending between $3.25 and $9 per device each month.

Just because small businesses don’t have a big budget or large IT team doesn’t mean corporate data should be left unsecured. There is a plethora of affordable, low-maintenance MDM products that help small to mid-sized enterprises embrace device management.

Before businesses go ahead and consider an MDM solution, they must take into account the following must-have features to manage android before investing in an MDM solution. 

  • Remote device lock and wipe
  • Remote troubleshooting
  • Device location tracking 
  • Over-the-air deployment 
  • Kiosk lockdown mode
  • Geofencing 
  • Bulk policy application within groups
  • Software distribution
  • Apps and website management
  • Data containerization

Wrapping Up

A mobile device management solution is a great way for small businesses for employees to boost employee productivity, manage compliance & security, and streamline device management. Today, owners have a great deal of choice when it comes to choosing MDM tools. They must understand the current workforce needs as well as the future business needs before making a decision. Eventually, an MDM provider that offers pricing transparency, customer support, and robust features would be a prudent choice.

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