Today, let’s take a look at the process of choosing an MMS provider and lay out some of the essential considerations you’ll need to make along the way.

Understanding Managed Mobility Services

Before you get immersed in the selection process, let’s first clarify what Managed Mobility Services are and what they do. Simply put, an MMS provider specializes in managing the complete lifecycle of your organization’s mobile devices and any of the various services associated with your devices. That can cover a wide range of solutions covering services like:

• Device Procurement
• Provisioning
• Support
• Security
• Expense Management
• Forward & Reverse Logistics
• And more

With various services to choose from, a quality MMS provider can give your organization a wealth of expertise to lean on. This not only smoothes over your mobile operations but also enhances your productivity and efficiency with your internal teams and even reduces your overall costs.

Where Do Managed Mobility Services Providers Fall Short?

Done right, MMS has a lot of benefits that can enhance your company’s relationship with mobile devices. However, it’s also important to acknowledge some of the common areas where less-skilled MMS providers show their weaknesses.

Some things to consider when choosing an MMS provider are what a particular provider can offer in terms of:

• Expertise — How long have they been in the business, and how much mastery do they have and can they offer you the right support?
• Infrastructure — What tools and resources do they have at their disposal?
• Capabilities — What services are they truly able to promise to you with reliable results?

 It’s crucial that any MMS provider you select is strong in all three areas and in a way that aligns with assisting you with your organization’s goals. Lacking in any of these areas should be a big red flag in your selection process.

Discussing the Benefits of Partnering With an MMS Provider

Before exploring what to look for in an MMS provider, ensure you thoroughly understand your business’s needs and objectives. When you know what you want and need, it will be much easier to determine which MMS provider can deliver on your requirements.

Assessing Business Needs and Objectives

What are your organization’s mobile device needs? What do you need from your mobile devices at this current point in your business, and how will your needs grow and change in the future?

Some questions you’ll want to ask yourself:

• How many devices does your company need or currently use?
• Which types of devices do you need?
• What geographical locations will you be using your devices?
• Which employee roles will most often be using these devices?

With a better idea of what your company needs from mobile devices, you can select a provider whose MMS solutions better meet those needs.

What Devices, Plans and Carriers Do You Have in Your Current Business Regions?

Take a deep look at the current assortment of mobile devices, data plans, and carrier agreements your company uses. Suppose an MMS provider can integrate with your current system neatly while offering seamless transitions to new systems, devices, or plans in the future. In that case, their partnership will likely lead to success for your mobility program.

What Do You Need From a Global MMS Provider?

When it comes to global operations or international expansion, part of how to choose an MMS service provider is understanding how a provider fits into your operations. You’ll need to make that consideration for every region where you currently do business or plan to.

A quality MMS provider can support your team in various regions with services as varied as policy enforcement, strategy, logistics, and expense management.

What Does Your Company’s Current Mobility Program Look Like?

Your mobile device management program and where you need to improve will dictate a fair amount of what to look for in an MMS provider. Consider what the following aspects of your mobility program currently look like.

Device Provisioning

What pain points are you facing in how your business handles the device provisioning process? An MMS provider that can effectively automate and simplify how you go about device procurement, configuration, and deployment can be a major benefit. Partnering with this strategy can give your business considerable improvements in efficiency while significantly reducing administrative burdens.

Bring Your Own Device Option

MMS isn’t always the right answer for all employees. Have departments using devices for work but don’t quite need a company provided one? A bring your own device (BYOD) program might be the best approach. Finding a provider who delivers both can be a true game changer.

Support

What does your current mobile device support model look like, and how well does it meet your current needs and expectations? An excellent MMS provider should have a reliable and accessible support program that addresses technical issues and other user concerns promptly.

Aligning Requirements With Available Service Offerings

How well do an MMS provider’s services and solutions align with your needs and requirements? When choosing an MMS provider, consider providers with an extensive suite of services that are well-poised to meet your particular needs.  These needs include mobile device management, security, application management, expenses, or your company’s reporting capabilities.

Prioritize Security

Mobile devices and mobile data bring matters like security to the forefront. It’s essential that any MMS provider you choose places an emphasis on robust security measures to help protect your sensitive information. There are several things to consider when choosing an MMS provider, including encryption, device-level security, secure data transmission, and industry-specific regulation compliance like HIPAA and GDPR.

Good User & Employee Experience Is Crucial

When an MMS provider’s platform is intuitive and user-friendly for end-users and administrators, it shows that the MMS provider prioritizes those benefits. When the MMS provider’s user and employee experiences are positive and seamless, it’s a great external indicator that other aspects of their operations are working correctly.

Cost Analysis and Value

Though it should never be the only factor behind how you choose an MMS provider, the cost can be an important consideration. Making decisions based purely on price will be an inevitable race to the bottom in terms of quality. However, comparing the costs quoted by various MMS providers and comparing these to the overall value they can bring to your organization can help you get more bang for your buck.

As you evaluate an MMS provider, consider the total cost of ownership (TCO). TCO isn’t merely a measure of the service fees the MMS charges. It’s also the potential gains your company can see in savings, efficiency, and productivity when you partner with a quality MMS provider.

Reputation and Client Reviews

Positive client reviews are an excellent place to evaluate an MMS provider’s reputation and track record of success. Take a look at the various aspects of the service that reviewers mention to gain a better sense of the provider’s industry expertise, customer service, and the overall quality of their client relationships. Choosing an MMS provider with a strong reputation can set up a partnership that you can trust.

Making the Decision

The foremost consideration when choosing an MMS provider is to be certain that your business objectives align with the services that they offer. Overall, it’s incredibly important to prioritize needs like scalability and flexibility, security and compliance, and the dynamic balance of cost to value.

Find a Partner Who Understands Your Needs and a Track Record of Success with Motus

As you carefully consider your next MMS provider, we encourage you to set your sights on Motus. As a leading provider of managed mobility services, Motus can provide your organization with various comprehensive mobile device management solutions. We focus specifically on exceptional value and top-notch customer service.

To learn more about Motus and how we can support your mobile device management needs, see how we can optimize your mobility today.

Learn More Today

The post How to Choose the Right Managed Mobility Service Provider appeared first on Motus.

Company iPhone Update: When’s the right time? 

Your executives want the latest iPhone. Maybe it’s time to update the field team or sale organization’s devices. Or maybe you’ve negotiated a new agreement with your preferred wireless carrier to upgrade the iPhone every few years. This year’s upgrade cycle will look a little like last year, but it is always a good idea to revisit best practices and prepare the company’s end-user base, IT department and related partners. To be clear, it’s not that every multi-device upgrade cycle is the same for every company, but most share similar challenges. Here are some key tips and areas to consider when managing a large iPhone upgrade process. 

1. Your Corporate Product Catalog  

Most customers follow a New/-1 methodology. This means the older iPhone 14 will become the new standard this Fall. As an example, an enterprise may work with their carrier to procure the iPhone 15 for Executives now, and then add the iPhone 14 to their device catalog (with a significantly reduced price) for all other employees. This minimizes expenses when pushing a company iPhone update and keeps the portfolio current and end-users happy.  

2. Internal Communication

Communicating the upgrade and timeline to your employee base  is key. Part of that communication should include the MDM and engineering team. As the people testing new models and the new iOS version with existing payloads, compliance, applications, etc. to ensure that functionality remains stable across the corporate mobile environment, they need to be aware early. However, even with extensive testing, there are going to be bugs that don’t appear until the masses start using it. You can look at the recent iOS 16 and 17 releases as examples: both had zero-day security flaws that required additional version updates after the initial update. 

3. Employee Productivity and the New iOS  

Piggybacking on the above iOS statement, these software upgrades take time out of the end-user’s day. If there are complications, they may require assistance from the support team. While these calls aren’t entirely unavoidable, you can minimize the amount and length by ensuring proper knowledge articles are available internally and externally, and whenever possible, pushing these out proactively to any user who might be affected soon. 

4. Asset Recovery and Buyback Programs 

Remember the trade value into the secondary market for used iPhones is a big business and a great way to offset new device acquisition costs. The annual depreciation for iPhones between 1-4 years from release is ~ 15%. After four years the buyback value loss is greater than 50%, all based on condition.  Maintaining a good return rate and process from your employee base is important. It’s a fine line for companies to apply direct pressure on their employee base to return these old devices. There are multiple third-party providers in the market that can assist with this process.  

Company iPhone Update: Taking the Next Step

Hopefully you are already utilizing these best practices or maybe this clarifies a few things for you and your company. Today, many companies work with third-party MMS and TEM companies to lead or support these initiatives. Others may manage in-house. Either way, focusing on the end-user employee while ensuring cost-effective and secure solutions will make this year’s company iPhone update a success. 

The post Company iPhone Update: Tips and Considerations for Managing an iPhone Upgrade Process appeared first on Motus.

Today, let’s do a deep dive into the risks and what you can do about this ongoing issue.  

Hidden Risk 1: Electronic Waste — A Global Crisis

Orphaned corporate devices are usually not on the top of everyone’s mind. So here’s a staggering statistic – electronic waste, or e-waste, is one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. In recent years, we have witnessed an explosion in the production and disposal of electronic devices. From outdated laptops to obsolete smartphones, these discarded gadgets collectively contribute to an environmental problem of epic proportions. 

The production and disposal of e-waste is not only causing environmental harm but also endangering human health. Many electronic devices contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can leach into soil and water if not properly managed. This poses a significant risk to both the environment and communities living near landfills or recycling facilities. As a result, the impact of e-waste on the environment cannot be underestimated. 

Hidden Risk 2: Security

While the environmental impact of orphaned corporate devices is substantial, there’s another layer of risk that often goes overlooked – security. Old devices that are not properly managed pose a serious threat to data security. 

Hackers and data thieves are well aware of the potential goldmine hidden in neglected devices. Without proper disposal or data wiping procedures, a company is essentially leaving the door wide open for security breaches. 

Consider this scenario: A company replaces its outdated iPhones with new, more secure models. However, instead of disposing of the old devices responsibly, they sit in a storage closet, forgotten and unsecured. These orphaned corporate devices contain a wealth of sensitive information – client data, financial records, and potentially confidential company documents. 

Without a device recovery plan in place, this scenario becomes real life for many companies.

Hidden Risk 3: The Costly Consequences of Orphaned Corporate Devices

When employees depart with corporate-owned devices in tow, the consequences extend far beyond the initial device cost. Consider these scenarios: 

• Financial Loss: The obvious and immediate impact is the financial loss incurred when a costly device goes missing. Replacing these devices can be a significant drain on a company’s resources, particularly when it happens frequently.  
• Legal and Reputation Concerns: It’s not just the data getting out that is the risk. Sensitive information getting exposed can lead to legal repercussions and reputational damage.  
• Lack of Visibility: It also isn’t just about recouping costs; it’s also about maintaining visibility into your corporate technology ecosystem. When devices go missing, it can be challenging to track them, manage software solutions, and ensure compliance with protocols.  

Hidden Risk 4: Unaccounted Costs

The lack of visibility into the whereabouts and usage of corporate devices can translate into painful costs that accumulate silently but steadily. Here’s how: 

• Wasted Resources: When devices are unaccounted for, it’s easy to over-purchase or underutilize resources. Companies may unnecessarily buy replacement devices or software licenses, leading to inflated expenses. 
• Productivity Loss: Employees who inherit responsibilities for unrecovered devices may experience downtime or reduced productivity as they adapt to new tools and configurations. 
• Compliance Headaches: Compliance with industry regulations and data privacy laws becomes challenging when devices are outside the company’s control. Failure to meet compliance standards can result in fines and penalties. 

Eliminate unaccounted costs with a proper device recovery program.

The Rise of ESG: Environmental, Social and Governance

In recent years, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices have gained significant traction in the corporate world. ESG represents a set of criteria that investors and potential customers use to evaluate a company’s ethical and sustainability performance. A growing number of investors are putting their money into companies that prioritize ESG factors. 

This shift toward ESG isn’t merely a passing trend but a fundamental change in how businesses operate and are perceived. Companies with strong ESG practices not only benefit from improved brand reputation but also appeal to a broader customer base. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, neglecting ESG principles can be detrimental to a company’s bottom line.  

You can learn more about ESG and understand how orphaned corporate devices can be harmful at What is ESG? | ESG.org.

The Solution: Protecting Your Company and the Planet with Proper Device Recovery Processes

So, how can businesses protect themselves from the hidden risks of orphaned corporate devices? It starts with implementing robust device recovery and recycling processes. Companies should clearly define these processes, communicate them effectively to employees, and diligently enforce them. Here are essential steps to consider: 

• Clear Policies: Develop and communicate policies that outline the company’s ownership of devices and the procedures for returning them upon departure. 
• Remote Management: Implement mobile device management (MDM) solutions that allow for remote tracking, locking, and data wiping capabilities. This ensures control even when devices are no longer physically accessible. 
• Employee Education: Educate employees about their responsibilities regarding corporate devices and the importance of returning them. 
• Data Erasure: Before disposing of any electronic device, ensure that all data is securely wiped. This can be achieved through professional data erasure software or services to guarantee that no sensitive information remains on the device. 
• Responsible Recycling: Partner with reputable electronics recycling companies that adhere to strict environmental and ethical standards. These companies can ensure that devices are getting properly recycled, reducing the environmental impact of e-waste. 
• ESG: Embrace ESG principles as a fundamental part of your corporate strategy. By doing so, your company not only meets the expectations of environmentally conscious investors and customers but also contributes to a more sustainable future. 

The Best Solution for Orphaned Corporate Devices

The best solution is to partner with a managed mobility service (MMS) provider who can manage your devices for you. One that can provide a full lifecycle management for devices and maintain a detailed inventory of them while providing you a platform to track, manage, and report on costs.  

In conclusion, the hidden risks of orphaned corporate devices extend beyond the immediate concerns of environmental impact. Neglecting proper device recovery and recycling processes can lead to significant security vulnerabilities and damage a company’s wallet or even reputation. By adopting responsible practices and aligning with an MMS provider, businesses can mitigate these risks while also making a positive contribution to the planet. 

The world is watching, and it’s time to step up and make a difference. We can help.

If you would like to see how Motus can help address your specific mobility and logistics pain points, don’t hesitate to contact us today! Luckily, our team will gladly provide you with further information and support. As part of our offerings, we provide a self-guided demo that allows you to explore dashboard at your own pace. In addition to that, we offer a comprehensive range of resources, including informative articles, guides, and case studies, which can provide valuable insights and help you make informed decisions about managing your mobility and logistics effectively.

Contact Us   |   Demo   |   Resources

The post The Hidden Risks of Orphaned Corporate Devices appeared first on Motus.

Understanding Mobility and Logistics

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, mobility and logistics shape business success across varies industries. Let’s take this time to explore their significance and contributions.

Mobility, at its core, involves leveraging mobile devices, applications and networks to enable seamless communication and access to information. These mobile devices, ranging from cell phones to laptops, empower employees to work remotely, improve communication and collaboration and enhance customer experiences.

Logistics, however, covers the intricate process of planning, execution and control of goods and information flow. This comprehensive process involves managing the movement, storage and distribution of physical products, as well as the associated information flow. From procurement and distribution to transportation and warehousing, logistics professionals can streamline your operations. This allows you to minimize costs, maximize efficiency and meet customer demands.

From the perspective of a managed mobility services provider, logistics becomes even more crucial. They offer expertise in optimizing logistics through:

• Forward Logistics
• Reverse Logistics
• Device Repair
• Recycle Services
• Spare Inventory Management

By integrating managed mobility services into logistics operations, businesses can achieve enhanced efficiency, reduced costs and improved customer satisfaction.

However, these advancements also come with their fair share of challenges. Mobility introduces complexities such as device management, data security and support. Logistics presents its own hurdles, including route optimization, inventory management and real-time tracking. You can choose to embrace these challenges by working with an MMS provider. By doing so, your business can seize opportunities for increased productivity, enhanced customer experiences and improved competitive positioning.

Breakdown of MMS Logistics

Managed Mobility Services (MMS) logistics encompasses a comprehensive range of services to ensure the smooth and efficient deployment, management, and support of mobile devices. Let’s take a closer look at the breakdown of MMS logistics and its key components.

Forward Logistics, involves the initial set up and configuration of devices, ensuring they are ready for deployment. This includes services like staging, kitting (assembling device kits with necessary accessories) and shipping and deployment to designated locations.

Reverse Logistics focuses on managing the lifecycle of devices after their initial use. It includes activities such as recovery and repair of damaged or faulty devices, scanning to track and record device information, wiping data from retired devices, diagnosis of issues, and reissue and recovery of devices for reuse within the organization.

Recycle services play a vital role in environmentally conscious device management. It involves the proper disposal and recycling of end-of-life devices, following regulatory guidelines and ensuring data security. Saving you money and saving the environment from toxic wastes.

Spare inventory management is also essential in the logistics process. It involves efficiently managing and tracking spare devices, ensuring an adequate supply for replacement or repairs, minimizing downtime and disruptions. This allows companies to have quick turnaround times for their employees to work without waiting for their device to be sent back, repaired, and then shipped back to the employee. If the device needs repairing, the employee can send it back and have a new one sent to them immediately. Eliminating down time.

With the help of MMS, businesses can rely on expert logistics management to handle these critical tasks efficiently. This allows saving time and resources while ensuring seamless device deployment, maintenance and recovery.

Exploring Mobility In the Workforce

Today’s dynamic business landscape continues to increase the reliance on mobile technology. This has led to a revolutionized way that organizations operate. It not only empowers employees to work remotely, it facilitates efficient communication and collaboration while also transforming customer experiences.

Workforce mobility has emerged as a transformative trend reshaping the way we work. Current workforce individuals are equipped with tools and technologies that empower them to work from anywhere, without sacrificing productivity or efficiency. This shift has redefined the nature of work itself, making it more smooth, dynamic, and flexible. Envision Technology Advisors mention in a blog that, “Companies who invest in collaboration tools are five times more likely to be high performing.” This is where MMS platforms come into play. Motus has the platform, capabilities and expertise to manage business mobility needs. This allows your company to be more collaborative in their day to day lives.

With this growth, it makes sense that companies want to continue exploring the ways mobility can relieve internal teams. In this case, further improving total operational functionality. “Digitization of mobility processes and execution as well as the willingness to invest in further digitization, are points of diversion between [companies], highlighting the need to leverage technology enablement to support the strategic diversification and value creation needed to excel,” states an article from EY. This same article also states that mobility technology investments over the next five years will lead to an 83% increase in businesses choosing to make substantial technology investments.

Surely, there is no better time than now to start looking into how mobility services. MMS and logistics can help your business get a competitive advantage as an early adopter.

Who Benefits from MMS Logistics?

Mobility and Logistics are highly advantageous for a wide range of businesses and their employees. Organizations across various industries, from small startups to large enterprises, can benefit from mobility solutions. MMS is significantly beneficial for companies with these types of workers:

• Mobile workforce
• Remote employees
• Field service teams
• Sales teams
• Organizations that heavily rely on collaboration and real-time communication.

Employees that benefit from mobility solutions include remote workers who need access to company resources, sales representatives who require on-the-go access to customer information, field service technicians who need real-time updates and support, and employees who rely on mobile devices for efficient communication and collaboration.

By implementing managed mobility services and outsourcing the logistics to an MMS service provider, the benefits only continue to increase. Organizations can experience streamlined operations, improved inventory management, enhanced cost efficiency, increased data security, proactive inventory management, enhanced cost efficiency, increased data security, proactive device management, seamless connectivity and access to expert support. Overall, this allows focus on business core competencies while leveraging the specialized knowledge and resources of the MMS service provider.

MMS can be a good fit for your company. Furthermore, it might be time to consider getting a competitive edge in this dynamic market with our help.

Embracing Mobility and Logistics

Together, mobility and logistics have a profound impact on operational efficiency, customer experiences, and bottom-line results. The continuous reliance on mobile technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate, from mid-size to enterprise, empowering them to be agile and responsive in an ever-changing marketplace. Meanwhile, logistics ensures the smooth movement of devices, goods and information. Overall, this enables businesses to meet customer demands effectively.

Understanding the basics of mobility and logistics allows businesses to drive success, increase customer satisfaction and gain a competitive edge. We hope you found this informative and helpful for transforming your business.

If you would like to see how Motus can help address your specific mobility and logistics pain points, don’t hesitate to contact us today! Luckily, our team will gladly provide you with further information and support. As part of our offerings, we provide a self-guided demo that allows you to explore dashboard at your own pace. In addition to that, we offer a comprehensive range of resources, including informative articles, guides, and case studies, which can provide valuable insights and help you make informed decisions about managing your mobility and logistics effectively.

Contact Us   |   Demo   |   Resources

The post Mobility and Logistics: An Introductory Journey into Transforming Business Operations appeared first on Motus.