Entering 2016 thinking about your Mobile Device Management policy?  Jonathan Hassell of Mobile Business Insights writes, “Some organizations still tremble at the thought of letting employee-owned devices connect to business-owned resources. But the truth is that bring-your-own-device (BYOD) approaches have come a long way in recent years, and enterprises increasingly function on mobile phones, tablets and laptops. A well-oiled and successful mobile device management (MDM) program and policy allows enterprises to reap the benefits of BYOD while mitigating the risks.” Here are some best practices he compiled for you to consider:

Get the basics right.  Mr. Hassell explains, “The bedrock of any sound mobile device management program begins with the basics: encryption, remote wipe, password strength and history.”  Specifically he calls outs your MDM program should encrypt email and storage on a device, require strong password without exception and be able to wipe the device remotely.

Get user information back to IT.  Reviewing information on app use, data accessed and types of devices used will help you evolve the program and make decision to improve it.  Sharing this information with your help desk can also lead to better user support.

Automate.  Mr. Hassell explains, “Users tend to be frustrated when they cannot activate an account independently of support services. Rather than getting the ball rolling on their own, users often have to call in, speak with someone to use a platform or have a problem addressed. Avoid this rigmarole and establish a policy that allows users to automatically enroll themselves in your mobile device management program.”

Self-service.  Mr. Hassell suggests starting with the ability to deactivate and/or wipe the device when it is lost or stolen, “You will notice that there will be a tremendous resistance to reporting lost devices in a timely manner if you make it difficult and time-consuming to actually do so. However, if users can simply log into an intranet portal to deactivate their former device and add a new phone, they will do it quickly and efficiently.”

In summary lay a solid foundation by nailing encryption, remote wipe and password strength.  Make sure use data is making it back to IT to be analyzed and shared. Automate where possible as well as provide self-service options to make your program more efficient and user friendly.