The COVID19 pandemic has crashed share markets, led to the likes of Microsoft, AWS and Salesforce cancelling in-person conferences, and halted travel plans around the world. Many workplaces right here in Australia have responded to the virus by obliging staff to work from home.

Events such as these further the explicit need for enterprise mobility. Ordinarily, the primary driver for mobility has been the need to provide flexible working arrangements for people – improving the employer value proposition as a result. Additionally, the need to secure data has forced companies to approach enterprise mobility with precision and purpose.

Workplaces with robust and well-orchestrated Enterprise Mobility Management technology, systems, applications and processes in place are handling the disruption comparatively well. While some companies are faring well because of the well oiled, tried and tested approach to enterprise mobility, other companies have merely VPN access to key systems, which is clunky and expensive at best. Still others have unmanaged enterprise mobility in place, leading to security policies going out the window for business to continue.

What is Enterprise Mobility Management?

Enterprise mobility management (EMM) leverages processes and technology to manage devices and wireless networks, to secure and control access to company data.

With various kinds of mobile devices (especially user-provided devices) that make up the business environment, and the increase in workplace mobility, EMM solutions must adapt to the ever-changing mobility landscape.

The future of EMM sees the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), improved security, the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and in-depth exploration of mobile analytics.

IoT enabled devices have gained popularity; however, they are still not widely leveraged in enterprise mobility. EMM solutions, used in conjunction with IoT technology, are beneficial because they provide opportunities in process optimisation and employee engagement. The future of EMM also sees a significant increase in security due to attackers targeting mobile devices. Security is crucial for your team, especially if your company promotes Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). The growth of AI is significant for enterprise mobility as it has the power to improve decision making, employee experience, process management and communication.

Mobile analytics is similar to AI in the sense that it creates new opportunities for EMM solutions. Machine learning and data analysis generate insights and predictive analytics in real-time, which allows your team to evaluate how they are performing, and if increased mobility is producing results.

How will IoT and EMM interact?

The need for IoT increases as EMM evolves. It is crucial that you consider how your EMM strategy impacts your colleagues and how you benefit from IoT. Currently, IoT is not prevalent in enterprise mobility, yet the interaction between IoT and EMM can yield positive results.

The advantages of IoT include:

• Availability – 24/7 connection through mobile devices and wearables.
• Real-time updates – remotely maintain systems and monitor their performance.
• Informed decisions – answer questions quickly and in real-time.
• Optimise processes – access to reporting guarantees processes run smoothly, and teams can make informed decisions.

If IoT is part of your technology roadmap, it is crucial that you have EMM in place. The interaction between EMM and IoT optimises automated business processes and reduces costs, facilitates innovation and gives you a competitive advantage. It is advisable that you test your IoT and EMM strategy first and observe how your team interacts with their devices.

How does Mobile Analytics inform EMM data?

Mobile analytics is crucial to EMM. The increased need for security, privacy and mobility management means that EMM teams and analytics vendors need to think beyond the current methods and ways of doing things.

Mobile analytics systems primarily revolve around security issues, namely Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Identity Access Management (IAM) tools and In-App analytics. You need to ensure that analytical tools take account for accuracy and efficiency when viewing data because employees need in-depth insights into mobile devices and apps. Analytics provides your team with the ability to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, as well as oversee performance and manage enterprise mobility structures.

Mobile analytics informs EMM data through active monitoring and analysis of the mobile infrastructure. Through the use of in-app analytics, decision-makers can identify and understand the effectiveness and popularity of specific applications. In-app analytics shows how the number of downloads the app received, which demonstrates its popularity. EMM monitors how much battery the device uses to sustain and run the app, which enables higher device maintenance. So, decision-makers can look at the concluding results and decide if they want to discontinue the app or fix it.

EMM creates insight into analytics; however, is the reverse possible? Can analytics contribute to EMM? In short, yes. Analytics assists in determining the best mobile data plan that provides users with maximum ROI. It also increases ROI on multiple aspects of EMM and aids in the selection of hardware and software.

The various benefits of mobile analytics include:

• Measurement and analysis of apps with in-app analytics SDK – analyse the use of successfully run applications understand monitor frequently used features.
• Analytics engines analyse copious amounts of data – gain insights and detailed conclusions.
• Understanding patterns and trends – reports generated by analytical engines assist in bringing this information together.
• Problem prevention – SIEM secures your data and prevents data loss by alerting you to malfunctions.
• Better decision making – data gathering and analytical tools inform decision-makers.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Enterprise Mobility

Many teams rely on AI to assist them and improve their enterprise mobility processes. Technology is omnipresent, and employees are continually engaging with mobile devices to do their jobs. Completely understanding AI in the mobility management system is what improves operations and solves problems. While organisations are just starting to leverage AI in enterprise mobility, the benefits are already evident.

AI includes assistants such as Siri and Alexa, meaning it is fundamental to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).

These are the main benefits of AI:

• Teams work efficiently – combining cloud computing and AI means your team can work independently. Smartphones can understand the user’s habits and requirements in the workplace, allowing for faster and easier enterprise mobility solutions.
• Saving on resources – workers will already be familiar with AI capabilities on their devices and might prefer to work with them, which reduces your operational costs.
• Improved employee experience with chatbots – chatbots can find candidates, onboard new employees and provide further guidance for work-related questions.
• Customer satisfaction – AI-powered chatbots improve customer satisfaction. Collection and analysis of previous customer records provide management with the tools to develop robust solutions.
• Simplified problem-solving – AI engages with predictive analysis and processes large amounts of data that EMM uses to provide teams with better solutions to problems.
• Enhanced security – incorporating AI into EMM helps companies avoid cyber-attacks. AI analyses communications and detects unusual behaviour and possible threats. Systems are always on and automatically send security responses to alert teams.

The number of mobile devices leveraged in enterprises is increasing. Consequently, developing alongside is the technology that drives it. To keep up, you must adapt your EMM solutions to remain competitive and ensure enterprise security. IoT enhances your business processes and facilitates improved connections between your team and their tech. Mobile analytics is vital to your EMM strategy because it informs you of app popularity and features that drive your business. AI will become essential to enterprise mobility, and this will gradually change how organisations navigate EMM.

Do you need assistance with managing your mobile devices and their security? Please visit our solutions page to discover how Experteq can provide you with solutions to streamline your EMM strategy.