In the last few years, smartphones have rapidly progressed into a must-have for business workers who rely on the extensive communications devices to conduct their daily business activity. Smartphones allow users to be more efficient because they can continue working while away from their desks. In a recent survey by RingCentral, 80 percent said that they conduct most of their business with their smartphone. Users are so reliant that 83 percent even said they would give up their morning coffee before giving up their smartphone.
Clearly, smartphones are essential to business users as they are hastily becoming a necessity in the working world. This infiltration of smart devices gives companies the opportunity to manage these phones to increase communication and collaboration within the company. Smartphones can change the business environment altogether and could help make companies more productive. But, (and there is always a “but”), there are many difficulties and challenges involved in managing employee smartphones.
Security is always an issue. If users have important data on their phone and it gets hacked or lost, there can be major consequences. Also, managing smart devices for a business setting is not as easy as it seems. Workers use different devices and different networks, which can make it hard for administrators to integrate the phones into one system. Also, maintenance is an issue that IT administrators have to take into account when deciding to manage smartphones for businesses.
Let’s break down the pros and cons of different smartphones for businesses.
Blackberry:
Windows Mobile:
iPhone:
Android:
Overall, smartphones for businesses are a great way for companies to control and manage their employees. There are many different ways to go- businesses just have to weigh the pros and cons to decide what fits their needs best.
[Photo courtesy of pcworld.]