Two truths exist today – BYOD is H-O-T and it’s top-of-mind for the enterprises’ top penny watcher – the CFO.
Here are some reasons the CFO would benefit from considering a mobile app management (MAM) strategy versus a mobile device management strategy (MDM).
BYOD Reigns; Security Policies – Not So Much
Less than 50% of C-level executives have set-in-stone plans for addressing personal phones, tablets and computers in the workplace, according to a PricewaterhouseCooper survey. And with 88% of staff members using their phones and other gadgets for both work and personal purposes, it’s not a problem that’s going away.
And it isn’t something to be ignored, especially by the chief financial officer, according to CFO.com.
Some of the concerns around not having a policy or strategy in place include:
- What happens if a device containing company data is hacked, stolen or lost?
- What happens if an employee’s phone or tablet is needed to conduct an investigation – such as in the case of fraud?
Without a policy in place, your company may run into problems gaining access to employees’ devices.
MDM & the CFO = Headache Waiting to Happen
The speed of software releases is another concern because it’s difficult to keep up with security updates. And the methods for updating devices drive a strong argument for securing the apps versus locking down the device. And the sheer means of controlling “all those devices” can be cumbersome, as CFO.com has reported.
Do You Want to Keep Tabs on All the Devices or the Data?
“Safeguarding information is easier when you know where that information is. But organizations are keeping looser tabs on their data now than they did in years past,” notes the PwC report.
That’s an important factor in considering the costs and security needs that are associated with any BYOD program. And the report makes another strong argument for mobile app management over mobile device management, especially in light of these three key findings:
- Security budgets are flat. While budgets aren’t as restricted as they were during the economic recessions, “fewer than half of the respondents expect an increase in security spending in 2013.”
- The economy is a big deal in budget decisions. In a tough economic environment, organizations are still weighing budgets against this factor and unless required by regulation or industry, security spending falls close to the bottom of the list.
- Training staff comes at a premium. And in tight economic times, it’s hard to justify the cost of dedicated staff to train on internal policies, procedures, and technical standards. More companies are relying on more cost-effective training such as Internet-based modules.
The Bottom Line
Security policies protect both you and the employees bringing the devices to the office, but a smart strategy starts with “knowing where the data is.” And mobile app management makes much more fiscal “cents” when you consider the costs of keeping devices secure, dealing with breaches and training your team.
Next Steps:
- Get an inside view of how you can address these concerns and more in our recorded webcast: “How to Scale Enterprise Mobility and Improve ROI.”
