The mid-market guide to mobile device management and BYOD

For most mid-market businesses, a “bring your own device” (BYOD) approach is the default mobile strategy – with cost as the primary driver. But without an effective mobile device management (MDM) strategy, sacrifices in productivity and security may offset the cost savings.

Even among businesses scoring highest overall in our security assessments, less than two percent scored above a 4.0 on our 5.0 TechIndicator® scale for their ability to manage, monitor and enforce the security of user devices.

With so many mobile devices used on the job today, we find that many businesses are taking an unnecessary security risk when it comes to user-owned devices.

MDM software provides advantages for BYOD

One way to balance cost savings and risk is with mobile device management software, such as Microsoft InTune, Jamf or VMware’s Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management to centrally manage mobile devices. These tools allow you to remotely configure, deploy app updates, allow or blocklist apps and websites, encrypt data, enforce security best practices and optimize device usage.

MDM software may help your business to:

• Enhance security: Enforce security policies like strong passwords, encryption, two-factor identification and biometrics to shore up defenses against unauthorized access, data leaks and malware. In the event of a lost or stolen device, you can wipe or lock the device remotely to protect company data and employees’ and clients’ protected information.
• Manage compliance: Ensure adherence with industry-specific data handling and authentication requirements.
• Increase productivity: With MDM software, you can help ensure that remote, hybrid and traveling employees can safely access the tools they need – without having to worry about manually installing or updating them.
• Simplify management: Track, manage and support devices across multiple platforms and operating systems to free up IT staff time for core business functions.
• Enable scale: Prepare for future growth, with the ability to easily accommodate new users and devices at a nominal cost.

Even with so many advantages, only about 40% of BYOD companies currently have an MDM solution in place. Among small- and medium-sized businesses, MDM may be perceived as out of reach – too complicated for the existing IT team to support or too costly to install and maintain. Yet research by Oxford Economics estimates that MDM costs remain accessible, between $3.25 and $9 per device, per month.

Total cost of BYOD continues to net savings for mid-market businesses

The financial impact of BYOD policies is clear: employers save about $341 per employee on total costs of mobile device management for BYOD programs when compared to managing employer-provided devices (EPD). In addition, BYOD saves the average 250-employee company a little more than 20 hours weekly in device management time.

Overall cost savings take into account the cost of connectivity, software, overall management of devices and the cost of phones for the EPD model. As you can see in the chart below, while the cost of MDM software is marginally higher in the BYOD model compared to the EPD model ($66 per employee versus $60), the difference is easily offset by the average management cost savings of $113 per employee.

Source: Maximizing Mobile Value: To BYOD or Not to BYOD?

If you need help developing an MDM strategy or selecting the MDM solution that’s right for you, Crosslake is here to help. Complete the form below to get started on improving your mobile security practices with our free mobile device and BYOD policy templates – or reach out for assistance from one of our security experts.