On average, wireless expenses represent 35% of total telecom spend and mobile usage is rapidly growing. According to Gartner, 80% of enterprises will overspend on their wireless services by an average of 15%. While most organizations now have a written policy for mobility services, many organizations have not reviewed and updated their policy in the past 12 months to address the changing mobility landscape. As you update mobile policy, consider the following steps:
Establish a Cross-Functional Team to Develop and Update Policy
Mobile policy must align with the business needs and objectives of the company. One of the best ways to do this is by establishing a cross-functional team that includes IT and employees who understand how mobile devices and new service capabilities help achieve business needs and company objectives. It is critical to get senior executive support for the program from the outset. This will avoid situations where managers undercut the policy.
Develop Guidelines for Acceptable Use
One of the most important aspects of a mobile policy is the guidelines for acceptable use. This helps to limit exposure for corporate liability, safety and personal use of services. If the organization has a code of conduct, the mobile policy can require that employees adhere to this code of conduct. In addition, the policy should make it clear that no employee is to use mobile devices for illegal transactions, harassment, or obscene behavior.
Establish Procedures to Control Security and Secure Data
Security threats from malware and viruses are rising. A hacker just needs a phone number from a business card to send a SMS message or an e-mail containing an application to retrieves an employee’s data from their device. Educating employees about threats is critical. Companies should also use security software to filter e-mails and monitor for malware.
Automate Policy Compliance
A Wireless Expense Management (WEM) solution can help automate policy compliance through the implementation of business rules. Web-based ordering portals for employees can help manage requests for new devices and services, upgrades, replacements, and cancellations. Only pre-authorized devices and services should be in the online catalog. An automated approval process for requests can streamline the approval process and provide opportunities to reinforce policy.
Ensure Policy is Articulated and Understood by Employees
The final step in updating mobile policy is ensuring that employees know the policy and understand it. Training on the policy should be part of new hires’ orientation. In addition, when employees request devices and services they should receive a copy of the policy and submit a signed acknowledgement form indicating that they have read the policy and will comply with it. Periodic newsletters, workshops, or seminars can help explain the policy.
The rise of smartphones with their access to sensitive corporate data presents new challenges to enterprises, which must be addressed with an updated policy. The old approach of IT managers standardizing on one device is difficult for most companies to maintain. However, security and cost considerations provide compelling reasons to establish requirements before allowing employees to use their personal devices to access corporate e-mail and other corporate applications. It is critical to set some limits by updating mobile policies to ensure that the enterprise is able to maintain a secure environment. Policies require automated mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement.
Get more details on how to update your mobile policy in our latest whitepaper: Updating Mobile Policy for Today’s Wireless World.
