3 Considerations for Building Your MDM Strategy

Enterprise Mobility is More Important than Ever and Organizations Need the Right Tools, and Approach, to Manage it

Mobility technology is now an essential element in the continuing evolution of IT operations in virtually every industry. But do you have the right mobile device management (MDM) strategy in place to take advantage of the capabilities such advancements offer?

A steady stream of technological advances have opened up avenues for enterprise mobility that were undreamed of just a few short years ago. From new mobile devices, wireless technology, services and applications, to cloud-based solutions and operating strategies, the ways mobility technology can potentially empower businesses today is nearly boggling in their scope. Consider these now common examples: 

• Warehouses and logistics track inventory in real-time, optimize delivery and fulfillment, and track assets from the shelf to the end user.

• Retail organizations enable associates with solutions that serve as points-of-sale (POS), find product updates, field special offers and improve customer solutions.

• In manufacturing, information is now reliably and efficiently directed to where it’s needed — an essential aspect where downtime has major negative impacts.

External Help for Today’s Environment

But managing the multiple devices, operating systems, networks and applications that drive these streamlining forces leads to a host of challenges as well. The depth and sheer number of these hurdles means most internal teams won’t be able to handle them alone. 

However, choosing to implement a comprehensive MDM strategy through a managed MDM services provider fully optimizes your enterprise mobility initiatives and unlocks benefits beyond what is created from using the technology alone:

• Cost-effectiveness — With a third-party managed MDM, companies avoid the staffing, time needed, and much of expense associated with managing their fleet

• Stronger Security — Managed MDM services provide certified experts who monitor threats 24/7/365 and develop upfront policies to oversee networks, devices, and data

• Enhanced Control — The right MDM partner improves your program, adds to your capabilities and allows adjustments to save on costs and prevent unnecessary access

• Freed Resources — With fewer resources dedicated to MDM, organizations will have time, money and energy to spend on other efforts — versus day-to-day details related to mobility

But not every MDM platform, plan or provider will be suitable for every business. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Let’s examine the key considerations to building out your own specific MDM strategy.

Get the Complete Story: Download our comprehensive MDM playbook to learn how to craft a strategy for success.

Your MDM Strategy Hinges on 3 Components

When creating the blueprint for your MDM strategy it’s essential to consider how it will play out in three key areas — Deployment, Security and Ongoing Support. Answering key questions, identifying needs and requirements, and weighing the strengths of different platforms and partners as they relate to these areas give you a clearer picture while building your overall strategy.

Deployment

MDM is essential for the modern enterprise, especially when upgrading or migrating your mobile fleet. The right MDM strategy, platform and services provider smooth out the process, make it more efficient and add cost effectiveness to what is a substantial project. For such projects, like converting your entire enterprise from Windows to Android-based operating systems, it’s not uncommon for a MDM investment to realize the full ROI in the deployment stage alone. 

With the proper MDM strategy in place, you’ll be able to deploy hundreds if not thousands of devices to outfit your entire fleet while also ensuring each is enrolled in the MDM from day one. It sets up your mobility program for success by aligning all devices on the right OS, the correct configuration settings and up-to-date versions of critical applications.  You can even automate tasks to address these and other details — like network credentials — to save time, gain clarity on who received the new devices and what remains to be done. 

Key Strategy Questions to Ponder

• What are your pain points? Where do you need help? Will this MDM system address it?

• Are you upgrading a fleet, or deploying a new mobile application? Are you adding mobility to a new part of the company? What is your use case?

• What OS will be used? Will there be more than one? Does this MDM tool support it?

• Do you need uniform settings for the entire fleet, or should users control their own?

• Should devices be grouped based on hierarchy or department?

• Do you need comprehensive inventory management or a customizable dashboard?

Security

Regardless of the size or complexity of your enterprise mobility program, cybersecurity should be top of mind. Ongoing MDM support here is critical, particularly as reliance on mobility and digital supply chains increases for organizations in every sector. Companies need the expert analyst oversight, proven policies and cutting-edge tools to maintain proper protocol, safeguard against data breaches and network hacks, and lock down devices in the event of lost hardware.

Third-party MDM services and a right-fitting platform mitigate the risks posed by remote endpoints and company-issued devices. Working with an MDM will help address many cybersecurity aspects centering around user authentication, password policy, secure communications, device restrictions and data security. With your MDM strategy factoring in security, you’ll have greater visibility into potential threats and be equipped to track devices — how, where, and for what they’re used. 

Key Strategy Questions to Ponder

• If you lean heavily on IoT devices, do you have security guidelines in place for them?

• Can you easily administer and manage key security measures, like two-factor authentication and current password best practices?

• Do you need the capability to allow enrolled devices to connect only to authorized WiFi networks?

• Do you need to prevent access to unauthorized websites, disable problematic interfaces or ban risky apps?

• Will you require remote control capability over some or all of your devices? 

• Do you need real-time tracking and visibility or geofencing capabilities?

Ongoing Support

You’ve outlined the essential elements of your deployment (or migration). You’ve built a rock-solid set of security features and practices. Now, how do you make the most out of enterprise mobility investment now that it’s up and running? Ongoing support is another critical area where outlining your MDM strategy can lead to consistent and persistent dividends. 

Organizations can off-load most of their technical assistance and data tracking tasks — freeing up resources for use in other areas. Using MDM services also builds confidence in knowing that configurations and OS versions will be up to date, or the information is readily available. Tech support, troubleshooting and repair needs can be addressed more quickly and simply with integrated MDM support.

Analytical data, gathered through an integrated MDM platform, can be used to track a host of metrics such as battery statistics, app usage, device usage and much more. That actionable information is hard — if not impossible — to collect efficiently  without an MDM or analytics engine that seamlessly integrates with your enterprise mobility program. 

Key Strategy Questions to Ponder

• How much bandwidth for repair and troubleshooting does your internal IT department have?

• What is the ideal timeframe to address such issues?

• Do you rely on seasonal employees, or need a more robust spare device pool?

• What kind of activity reports (battery, device, app, etc.) are needed to guide business decisions?

• Do your devices stay in-house, or require the ability to use cellular service? Or both?

• Do you need the capability to package and deploy custom applications? 

Learn More With TRG: Go in-depth into all the considerations for MDM strategy with the Mobile Device Management Playbook, a free resource. Download it here. 

TRG is Experienced in Implementing Tailored MDM Strategies

All enterprises now need proven MDM solutions and strong third-party partners to implement them to take advantage. Managing a fleet requires resources, expertise and experience — as well as the MDM strategy to bring it all together. Working with a third-party managed solutions provider to craft an MDM strategy assists in mapping out your own custom playbook. They can match your requirements and circumstances with vetted vendors for tailor-made solutions. 

TRG will help you evaluate alternatives, develop project plans and execute technology transformations. Once a solution is decided upon, our single-source deployment solutions will handle staging, kitting and configuration to simplify technology rollouts. Once your solution is up and running, TRG will ensure it stays that way with comprehensive managed services for the repair, maintenance and logistical support that eliminate downtime.