Within the Telecom Expense Management (TEM) and Mobile Manages Service (MMS) industry, you often hear two acronyms bandied about which are related to mobility services and mobile devices. Let us gain clarity around the basic terminology before moving into a more comprehensive understanding of what each really entails and means given the confusion which surrounds these terms; they both share the commonality of mobility and therein lies the primary basis for the conflation of terms and resulting potential for confusion.
What is Wireless Expense Management (WEM)?
Wireless Expense Management focuses on verifying, correcting, and recovering costs for mobility / wireless services. This typically relies heavily on the implementation of best practices around invoice management, the buildout of an accurate and comprehensive services inventory, and the implementation of a thorough audit and optimization program.
There should be an initial level-set around current versus future state, which is followed by the prompt implementation of an ongoing and systemic process which enforces proper execution and ongoing maintenance of best practices relative to wireless services expense management moving forward.
A Proper WEM Program:
- Streamlines invoices and ties inventory asset management to existing charges.
- Assigns individual cost centers to each line/user.
- Aligns with a procurement solution/ HR File to keep user changes up to date
- Reviews each line’s data usage to ensure the user/customer is not overpaying for data.
- Prevents overage fees and provides optimization service support.
- Verifies that international charges are billed correctly.
- Verifies Zero Usage/ Lines with no activity over 1,3,6-month periods.
- Negotiates better contract terms for the customer, including but not limited to discounts on service and equipment, ETF waivers, and qualifying customers to a group purchasing program.
- Ensures strong platform support across devices, carriers, and operating systems.
What is Mobile Device Management (MDM)?
Mobile Device Management (MDM) is focused on software and security performance between corporate devices. MDM configures corporate devices to comply with company mobile policies and to ensure that company data is protected from viruses, hackers, and any misuse from end users. MDM programs give IT administrators the opportunity to track, manage, and secure an employee (BYOD) or corporate-owned device (CYOD).
As noted, the focus here is on strong management of the mobile/wireless device, with the focus on software and security performance.
A Proper MDM Program:
- Can distribute company-wide apps and user permissions to devices remotely.
• The IT Team can configure Wi-Fi access, as well as install and manage proprietary and/or enterprise apps.
- Secures access to company databases and confidential information.
- Provides simultaneous updates and software deployments.
- Provides remote help desk and troubleshooting services.
- Allows for devices to be geo-located and data to be erased remotely (e.g., if lost or stolen).
- Can apply corporate protocols to BYOD devices if BYOD users have been allowed to synchronize with the corporate MDM.
- Allows compliance with BYOD users with corporate security policies.
In Summary
When managing mobility services and devices, it is helpful to think of WEM and MDM as two hands serving the same master. They are distinct from one another, but you want both to serve the master well.
Mobility devices and services will continue to evolve exponentially as we move into the future. Keeping up with best practices around mobility services and device management is an investment of time and energy that will pay material dividends for the organization attentive enough to focus on this key area of telecommunications.