Can You Upsell With Mobile Device Management?

If you're a VAR that sells mobile workforce solutions, you know that technology has evolved to allow mobile workers constant communication and access to company resources. Companies are deploying these solutions to gain efficiencies — to enable mobile workers to complete tasks with a mobile device instead of manually. However, along with this efficiency gain, your customers are faced with the risk of dispersing sensitive data (such as customer credit card information and private corporate information). Wherever a company's workers go, its data can fall into the wrong hands if the mobile device is lost or stolen. Further, companies are challenged with the task of managing numerous mobile devices from a distance. MDM (mobile device management) can alleviate these issues. A comprehensive MDM solution offers security features such as data encryption and automatic device shutdown to protect sensitive data, as well as management features such as remote control and troubleshooting that allow a company to monitor, configure, and repair devices from a central location.
Unfortunately, according to a conversation I had with an industry expert recently, MDM often is overlooked when a company implements a mobile solution. "In many organizations, MDM is considered to be on a future roadmap, and is put at lower priority than other technology investments," says Lee Wagner, VP of enterprise wireless and mobility practice at inCode.
This is where you, as a VAR, come in — explaining to these companies that MDM can't wait. Ask them: Is the risk of losing your customer's credit card information really worth it? Can you afford the downtime of a mobile worker going without a device while they send it in and wait for repairs? Pointing out the dangers of not deploying MDM, and giving some examples of its benefits, may be all it takes for a company to decide that now is the time for MDM after all. If the company is already investing in a mobile solution, investing a little more to keep its data safe and streamline the management of its mobile devices should be an easy upsell.