Mobile Defense began with the belief that people should be able to use their mobile devices confident that their data was secure. As we observed the enterprise workforce becoming increasingly mobile, we realized that security was only one aspect of keeping employees’ mobile devices healthy. In the consumerization of enterprise IT, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) users will run into technical difficulties with their devices at some point, impacting their productivity and increasing IT support costs.
BYOD is a workforce movement that is here to stay. A shift our team saw coming that requires us to focus as much on support solutions as we do security. A Cisco study released this past Spring titled “IT Saying Yes to BYOD” estimated that in 2014 the estimated average number of connected devices per knowledge worker to be 3.3, an 18% increase from the average of 2.8 in 2012.
The same study shows the estimated annual benefit, depending on job role, is $300-$1,300, through increased productivity. But now IT departments are facing new challenges and costs. According to a ComputerWorld article on this subject, IT costs are set to rise by 48% next year, compared to 2011. The Osterman Research Study the article cites also predicts that companies will need four full time IT workers per 1,000 devices next year. In comparison, companies needed 2.9 full time IT workers per 1,000 devices needed in 2011. According to the Cisco study, “On average, mobility initiatives will consume 20% of IT budgets in 2014, compared to 17% in 2012.”
With IT costs rising at such a rapid rate, keeping these costs in check is a must in order to maintain the gains achieved through increased productivity and to drive return on investment (ROI) for mobile device management (MDM) roll outs. The support product we have in beta testing addresses these enterprise needs. Our solution leads to faster resolutions so employees can get back to work more quickly and less IT staff is required to support organizations embracing BYOD.
As we broaden our capabilities, we continue to develop effective solutions that increase the productivity and reduce the costs of managing a mobile workforce. If you are interested in learning more about our support solutions, please contact us at partners@mobiledefense.com.
