Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the process of effectively managing a fleet of corporate mobile devices whether they are employee-owned or company-owned. The term can refer to a managed mobility service (MMS), a software solution, and/or a corporate practice typically provided by the IT department. Devices can include everything from smartphones, tablets, and laptops to IoT devices, scanners, and point-of-sale devices. Mobile oversight is critical because devices need complete lifecycle management including procurement, shipping, set up, deployment, and security, as well as reverse logistics and end-of-life care, like wiping (permanently deleting all data from the device), disposal, and recycling.
Implementing enterprise mobile device management can be difficult for any organization. Named a 10-time Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant MMS Global report, our mobile device management software Tangoe One Mobile ensures even the most sprawling global fleets are easily managed and continuously optimized to maximize savings. With the largest mobile fleet under management, Tangoe’s AI-powered software and services empower enterprises of all kinds to improve IT productivity and recognize bottom-line savings like never before.
Enterprise MDM solutions take that work off your plate.
All companies (that’s right, 100%) say they’re struggling with these aspects of mobility management. That’s according to a survey from Vanson Bourne, which found that IT teams are challenged with everything from mobile procurement and inventory maintenance to help desk support and logistics. When IT teams should be focused on innovation, leveraging AI to advance their business and other strategic objectives, instead they are focused on administering and maintaining their fleet.
For this reason, an MDM solution like Tangoe One Mobile is essential.
The average enterprise accounts for thousands of endpoints, nearly half which present significant security risks. Over 60% of companies say endpoint sprawl is at an all-time high, and 66% agree they don’t have enough resources to effectively minimize endpoint risk.
Mobile Device Management software allows IT teams to apply advanced security policies and controls to every device, plus track compliance status and remotely quarantine or wipe devices if needed. Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) software is a critical component of MDM, as it helps standardize security for an entire corporate fleet with centralized endpoint management. For example, Tangoe One Mobile allows enterprises to leverage UEM software as part of their mobile device management program or as a standalone solution.
Mobile devices are a must, but IT departments spend over one-third of their time managing them. The ability to centrally control every step of IT inventory management from a single platform is essential and AI and automation tools take this one step further to supercharge efficiency. Automated workflows streamline and accelerate everything from real-time device status tracking and inventory maintenance to invoice processing and bill pay.
With Tangoe, teams also get AI-powered insights into all things mobile so they can connect the dots and make critical business decisions, plus cost-saving recommendations to minimize mobile waste and optimize spending.
Many Mobile Device Management solutions integrate with IT help desk software to uplevel support for any device, anywhere. For example, Tangoe Help Desk comes as part of our Mobile Device Management solution, providing white glove service from dedicated experts plus extensive reporting for insights into ticket quantities, types of requests, and trending issues. The result: productivity for IT and satisfied end users who can stay productive too.
Tangoe’s solution leverages AI, RPA, and automated workflows to help employees get what they need faster, and employees can use the channels they know and love to submit inquiries anywhere, anytime, from phone and live chat to self-service resources like chatbots and smart walkthroughs.
Mobile Application Management within a Mobile Device Management solution provides a centralized system for managing every application across the fleet seamlessly. Whether you need to push out necessary apps, update existing ones, or remove unauthorized apps, everything can be controlled from one service and one provider.
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) software and managed services help secure and control all mobile devices (not just the usual smartphones and tablets but also desktops, IoT devices, desktops, point-of-sale systems, and healthcare devices) in a consistent and streamlined manner. Overall, UEM is considered the gold standard for mobile device security and can be incorporated into an MDM solution.
An essential part of Mobile Device Management involves tracking costs and data service contracts across all mobile carriers to make more informed financial decisions. Unused devices and mobile plans misaligned with the needs of each department are just a few common budget drains companies need to avoid. An MDM solution like Tangoe One Mobile lifts the veil for mobility and financial teams to fully understand expenses, services, and assets to minimize costs, fully utilize resources, and drive efficiencies in overall financial management.
Enhance Visibility by Conducting an Audit of Your Corporate Fleet: Create an accurate inventory and track all devices in real-time for better insights into usage, compliance, security, and spending trends. See how Tangoe’s mobile cost management consultants can get you up to speed with an accurate catalog of devices, users, services, costs and suggestions for how to save money and make more efficient use of the assets you own.
Harness the Power of AI: Use automation to streamline and accelerate procurement and deployment processes, including device setup and authentication processes that comply with corporate security policies and industry regulations. Simplify financial management by automating invoice processing, reconciliations, billing disputes, payments, employee reimbursements for BYOD models, and even cost allocations – enabling IT and mobility teams to charge mobile devices and services back to the business units that benefit from them.
Identify and Capitalize on Savings: Your MDM platform should provide holistic views of spending across multiple carriers, enabling IT and financial leaders to see macro trends and build financial reports for forecasting. Use insights gained to optimize costs, including a prioritized list of ways to increase device utilization, reduce waste, and improve contract rates and terms.
Integrate with HRIS Systems: This enables device assignments and reallocations to become an automated step during employee on-boarding and off-boarding procedures.
Integrate with Corporate Financial Systems: Make mobile management practices seamless and compliant with financial management practices including Accounts Payable, General Ledger files, and cost allocations.
Combine MDM and UEM: Strengthen mobile security by integrating UEM into your MDM solution, delivering a standardized approach to endpoint management along with full device lifecycle management.
Don’t get Complacent: Continually optimize your mobility program by evaluating your device ownership strategy, benchmarking costs, and assessing contract terms to minimize waste.
MDM makes it easy to manage and secure personally owned devices while respecting user privacy. Users receive the same level of support, from policy configuration and security management to monitoring and compliance, help desk support, and wiping devices of applicable corporate data.
Over 80% of companies have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program in which employees use their personally owned mobile devices for work. However, BYOD poses several key challenges:
Consider that personally-owned devices are responsible for nearly half of all security breaches and, on average, it takes 25% more time to manage personally owned devices than corporate-owned devices.
We’ve already discussed the benefits of Unified Endpoint Management above, but UEM is especially important for BYOD security. Here’s why:
For one Tangoe customer with 17,000+ devices across a variety of program types (BYOD, corporate-liable, blended payment), it used to take 11 IT employees and four weeks to get a new mobility program up and running. With Tangoe, it now takes less than two hours.
For instance, Tangoe’s MDM platform supports a wide range of platforms including:
Our solution also integrates with:
Tangoe for Apple is an all-in-one mobile device management solution for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. When clients add this service to their Tangoe One Mobile Solution, they get a complete 360-degree view of all their Apple devices – everything from device status to user activity and mobile expenses.
The service also offers a hub for AppleCare for Enterprise, Apple Business Manager, and Apple GSX repairs. And as an Apple Authorized Service Provider and Managed Service Provider, you count on us to deliver the same top-notch service and repairs you’d get directly from Apple. In every way, Tangoe’s got your Apple devices covered.
Tangoe’s Mobile Device Management platform stands alone in that it offers mobile device lifecycle management services, UEM services, and expense management services, ensuring companies get productivity alongside the absolute most value out of their mobile fleet.
Our comprehensive MDM solution is also a fully managed service to handle the day-to-day logistics of the fleet through a single platform. It offers unparalleled visibility into all devices, device security and compliance status. Plus, it illuminates costs to drive savings and resource efficiency. AI and automation continuously work in the background to streamline and accelerate processes at every turn.
AI and robotic process automation are the not-so-secret weapons behind our Mobile Device Management platform that gives Tangoe customers their winning competitive edge. Our AI engine acts as an extension of the IT team in the form of many bots that automate and accelerate processes, collectively working to help save time, optimize costs, and clear the complexities of managing even the most sprawling mobile fleet.
One bot, for example, helps streamline data collection by securely gathering invoice and billing information from different carrier portals while another handles repetitive and time-consuming tasks like suspending and unsuspending phone lines and handling service upgrades. Cost optimization, customer service, help desk support…where there’s a need, Tangoe’s Mobile Device Management solution strategically applies AI.
Tangoe Advisory Services offers a team of highly experienced mobile technology professionals that can conduct a myriad of consulting engagements tailored to meet your specific needs. From inventory auditing that blows the lid off discrepancies in mobile spend (see how we helped one global tech company identify $700M+ in annual mobile savings) to contract negotiation services that lock in the best deals and terms, our experts work with businesses of all kinds to fuel modernization, address risk, and lower mobile equipment and service costs.
Managed Mobility Services (MMS) is an umbrella term covering an extensive range of technologies and activities related to managing mobile devices in a corporate or public sector setting. Read the full guide.
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) refers to any activities related to the administration and security of an extensive range of mobile devices in a corporate environment. Read the full guide.
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is an approach and software solution that empowers IT and security teams to oversee, control, and safeguard all end-user devices in a consistent and streamlined manner. Read the full guide.
Mobile application management (MAM) is the process of controlling and securing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications on devices owned either by the company or personally by the employee/user. Read the full guide.
BYOD refers to enterprises allowing their employees to utilize their personally owned devices for work. Learn more about managing BYOD with Tangoe.
DaaS refers to a model where businesses lease hardware devices and pay a monthly fee to utilize the technology instead of buying it outright. Learn more about managing DaaS with Tangoe.
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