The mobile workforce is growing, with more than half of all workers reporting that they work out of the office at least part of the time. As a result, managing the costs of a fleet of mobile devices is becoming a priority for IT, and many are investing in mobile expense management systems. It’s important not to stop there. Controlling costs related to mobile devices takes a broader strategy:
Automation: As with any IT concern, automation creates the greatest cost savings; yet many enterprises continue to engage in hours of work related to move-add-change-delete (MACD) tasks. These can be tracked and sent to the mobile expense management system automatically, removing delays and human error from the process. Automation also catches otherwise-overlooked resource updates that can rack up costs over time. MACDs can be automated through the enterprise’s procurement and fulfillment systems so that they are fed through to the mobile expense management system as automated tasks.
Contract negotiations: It’s common for organizations to take a reactive approach to contract negotiations, only evaluating the terms of the contract when it’s nearly time to renew. This gives the vendor a bit of an upper hand, and leaves the organization scrambling to see if it’s possible to make the necessary changes, but without a viable alternative ready if the vendor won’t meet their needs.
It’s in the organization’s best interests to begin evaluating the terms of the contract well in advance of renewal time, and the best option is to get all contracts on the same timeline. This allows IT to set up a plan that implements a calendar for evaluating options and preparing for negotiations in a way that streamlines the process.
Mergers or acquisitions: It’s generally standard practice for the acquired company to align with the mobile policies of the organization that’s purchasing them, but it can be a mistake not to take a better look at the mobile policy. The acquired company may have advantageous terms on their contracts or they may have implemented mobile expense management techniques that could benefit the bigger organization.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): BYOD programs are growing as enterprises see the benefits of allowing employees to use the device they’re most comfortable with and saving money on device ownership and maintenance. Regulations are likely to take shape as employees are beginning to demand some company reimbursement for the use of their private phones for work, and organizations are facing possible challenges related to how they manage security in a BYOD program without infringing too much on personal use. BYOD programs look appealing right now, but they could become costly in the future.
Your organization has unique telecommunications needs, and Access Tech can help you meet them in a cost-effective way. Contact us for more information.