13 Mobility Management Mistakes to Avoid During a Recession

Whenever there’s a recession or an economic downturn, many telecom and IT professionals are understandably worried about their department and the future. It may feel as if you need to make drastic changes to your program and strategies to stay afloat. While some changes may be necessary, it’s never a good idea to react in a state of panic.

Here are 13 common enterprise mobility management mistakes you should avoid during a recession and what to do instead.

#1 - Avoid renewing your wireless contracts without reviewing first – or worse, forgetting about them altogether.

• Do this instead: Take a close look at your carrier contracts and potential hidden costs. Use a trusted partner at renewal time to find the best deals and broker the best contracts for your business needs. A well-negotiated wireless contract tailored to your business’ usage can reduce costs, on average, by 30 to 40 percent.

#2 - Avoid buying mobile devices in bulk and the temptation to offer new equipment.

• Do this instead: Now is the time to make thoughtful purchase decisions. Don’t be lured by cheap pricing or the fanciest, latest model. Think about reducing the amount you’re using or potentially reusing what mobile devices you already have. You may not need those 1,200 different SIM cards, and your employees might be just fine with the iPhone 13 versus 14.

#3 - Avoid mismanaging or ignoring the importance of accurate mobile inventory.

• Do this instead: Understand what employees are using what mobile devices, how they are using them and when they’re being used to get better cost control, streamlined procurement, and shield you from risk. Start by making sure your telecom inventory is properly tied into your HR system and identifying duplicate devices or those not in use.

#4 - Avoid losing money, or exposing security threats, on unreturned equipment.

• Do this instead: Document your mobile device policies and processes for when people leave the business and change roles. How will you receive their IT assets once they are no longer in use so you can sell, recycle or reuse the asset to recover the extra dollars? This is savings that can go directly back to your budget.

#5 - Avoid implementing a one-size-fits-all corporate mobile policy.

• Do this instead: Look at your corporate device policies and set clear expectations with employees regarding eligible handsets and device refresh cycles. Recover hardware that’s no longer needed and look at refurbishing devices. Don’t have a mobile device policy? Now is the time to build one so you have improved cost savings, security and employee productivity.

#6 - Avoid believing Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) will solve all your headaches.  

• Do this instead: BYOD does not remove the management, responsibility or risk involved in enterprise mobility. This is especially true for smaller or lean departments. Explore all strategies — BYOD, CYOD, COPE and COBO — and their implications carefully, such as increased stipends due to inflation, before you make the switch.  

#7 - Avoid going to a company-wide business unlimited strategy.

• Do this instead: If you don’t have dedicated telecom staff and manage a small number of mobile devices, a company-wide unlimited strategy might make sense for you. However, if your company has more than 100 mobile devices, flexibility is key so you don’t waste money. Your team or trusted partner can analyze your usage patterns and match them to plans that ensure uptime and maximize wireless cost savings.

#8 - Avoid focusing on just airtime and hardware costs.

• Do this instead: Total cost of ownership (TCO) should be considered when times are tough. Don’t overlook support costs such as end-user technical support, device ordering, tariff management, plan optimization, lost devices and break-fix.

#9 - Avoid spending time on unnecessary distractions.

• Do this instead: Focus on your core competencies and what you need to do to run your business successfully. Keep innovative and strategic work in-house and concentrate on driving and protecting revenue. Leave the pesky administrative tasks or time-consuming projects to the enterprise mobility management experts.

#10 - Avoid making drastic short-sighted decisions to save a buck.

• Do this instead: Think about the long-term impact of cost reduction measures to your enterprise mobility program. They could have unintended consequences across the business in the long run. Don’t cut all your vendors without thinking through how you can support the work that they do and how critical mobile devices are to your business.

#11 - Avoid widening program gaps and burning out staff.

• Do this instead: When IT talent is hard to keep and the economy is in a downturn, consider outsourcing some roles entirely to help with short-term gaps in staffing and long-term growth plans. Then, costs become more predictable, and the right resources are there when you need them.

#12 - Avoid seeing your mobility management vendor as a one-trick pony.

• Do this instead: Develop a strong partnership and see greater returns by taking advantage of your MMS vendor’s full set of capabilities. You will get more value back rather than just hard dollar savings. Talk with your customer success team for advice and recommendations and where you might be missing out.

#13 - Avoid thinking your employees and their mobile devices will support themselves.

• Do this instead: The experience of end users can make or break the success of your mobility program. A great user experience keeps employees happy and productive, regardless of their device or location. Find a partner that has a passion for your end users.  

Want more advice on how to weather a recession and future-proof your enterprise mobility program? Connect with a vMOX expert today.