Feb 24, 2014

The bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend is strong among organizations and more businesses are incorporating it into their operations. However, before reaping the various advantages, management will first need to decide on a service that will protect data and mobile hardware from being compromised. The offering will need to keep essential information safe while still allowing users the flexibility they need to work effectively. Here are a few tips on choosing the right SMB mobile device management solution:

1. Consider user needs
While supervisors may want to heavily regulate device usage, they must be able to do so in a way that does not interfere with employee productivity. Computerworld writer Robert Mitchell stated that because companies have not made application delivery and user self-provisioning transparent and scalable, many mobile device management efforts have been unsuccessful. IT management must factor in the friendliness of the interface to ensure that the overall experience is a top priority throughout the decision process. Through this, organizations will be able to provide tools that can be leveraged effectively, while allowing employees to boost their efficiency.

2. Look at security features
In a BYOD workplace, having the protective measures in place to keep data safe is crucial to securing company continuity and minimizing potential losses. A mobile device management solution should be able to provide encryption tools, authentication fields and remote wiping capabilities that will allow management to erase data in any location, mitigating the potential for breaches or compromises. The safety measures should also give oversight into where the data is at and who is viewing it to assign more accountability to users and ensure that no unauthorized individuals can access sensitive files.Memeo C1 has all of these features and provides a secure way for employees to share documents and collaborate.

3. Preparing for the future
Mobile device management should not be considered a fad. More processes are going online through the cloud and mobile devices are becoming a larger part of company operations. Organizations must ensure that their solution can evolve with the changing technology landscape and meet user needs for years to come. By doing this, businesses will also be able to boost their return on investment and lower overall costs.

BYOD is not going away anytime soon and mobile device management will be required to protect sensitive data on the hardware. By using these tips, IT decision makers will be able to make a more informed choice on what solution to implement to foster success.