No Solution

BYOD can offer cost savings to companies, but it must be managed correctly. Businesses should be able to monitor the data usage of devices, should they be reimbursing employees for associated bills. Integrating a solution that offers visibility into usage as well as security and expense management will help to keep track of the devices as well as any related costs.

No Control

Control is important, not only for security purposes, but also in terms of savings. The ability to monitor and block inappropriate device use is important to ensure that sensitive company data is not leaked. Certain device management solutions can restrict access to devices or data if they do not comply with the BYOD policy. Additionally, the MDM solution should provide monthly reports on active devices including information regarding reimbursements. This information is critical and often overlooked, leading to payments being made to devices no longer in use.

Allowing All Apps

Mobile applications can cause a flurry of problems if not handled correctly. Thousands of new apps are introduced every day, and while many of these apps are business-oriented, they can lead to a decrease in employee productivity, in addition to a potential security breach. It is possible for apps to store viruses or steal data, a common misconception among users. For these reasons alone, BYOD policies should restrict certain applications on employee-owned phones, especially those that house sensitive data.

Not Requiring Passwords

Just as employees use passwords on their work PCs, mobile devices should be treated no differently. A locked phone is more difficult to crack, should an employee’s device be lost or stolen. If you have an IT department handling these devices, allow them to utilize a mobile device management (MDM) platform to monitor the passwords of employee-owned devices. Doing so will ensure that passwords are routinely changed and employees can’t forget them.

Avoid the risks associated with BYOD by following the above guidelines and making the best decision for your business and employees. Creating a BYOD policy incorporating these practices can help to bridge the gap between IT, who is trying to manage multiple devices and platforms, and end users.

Evaluation Based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute



This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Vodafone Global Enterprise.

The report defines “leaders” as “mobile service providers that offer mature offerings, while also demonstrating the vision needed to sustain a leading position in the market as client requirements change. They invest in and focus on their offerings and the service experience they deliver in a way that can affect the market’s direction. They have a proven track record in mobile voice and data services for enterprises, and they offer wide geographic coverage. They have also shown a commitment to invest in this business, which indicates that they are well placed for future success. Their products and services are relatively low-risk, but not necessarily the best for every customer.”

Service Providers evaluated in the Magic Quadrant were evaluated on their “ability to execute” and “completeness of vision,” which reflect the following specific criteria:

Ability to Execute

• Product/Service
• Overall Viability (Business Unit, Financial, Strategy and Organization)
• Sales execution/pricing
• Marketing execution
• Customer experience
• Operations

Completeness of Vision

• Market understanding
• Marketing strategy
• Sales strategy
• Offering (product) strategy
• Business model
• Innovation
• Geographic strategy

According to the 2012 Magic Quadrant for Telecom Expense Management report, “Telecom expense management (TEM) services encompass the processes conducted by IT and finance departments to order, provision and support corporate communications services, both fixed and mobile. The continued growth of enterprise telecom services, driven by the use of video and wireless technologies, is prompting many companies to look to TEM services to enable more efficient procurement and support, as well as to manage costs more effectively.”

The report notes that “most companies lack the internal resources to manage their telecom services and devices, and are therefore looking to outsourced services. This is especially true of large multinationals, which in the past year have moved to centralize the procurement and management of their telecom services.”

View a complimentary copy of the report

About the Magic Quadrant

(*) Gartner, Inc., ” Magic Quadrant for Telecom Expense Management,” by Eric Goodness and Phillip Redman, 29th March 2012

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Yet we must remember this is not the generation of your parents or even your generation. This new workforce has been multitasking between devices and social networks since they were in school and will demand more flexibility and openness in their work environment. If enterprise organizations do not start devising a new strategy to manage these demands, it may hinder their ability to recruit and retain new talent.

So how can an enterprise keep this generation’s workforce happy, productive and efficient? It is likely that the strategy should be more about changing perceptions and behaviors and less about control. By encouraging collaboration from all employees, cross-generational, enterprises can get a better pulse of what types of technology, devices and applications are most beneficial.

Many studies have shown that when enterprises adopt a mobile workforce, they often increase productivity while reducing costs. Added flexibility and collaboration can be extremely helpful when integrating this new generation of works.

At Quickcomm, we employ solutions for multinational organizations to help them facilitate a global mobile workforce.  From mobile inventory management and service optimization to device management solutions, Quickcomm provides CIOs and IT Directors the ability to better manage a new generation of mobile workers.  An enterprise’s telecoms environment can be extremely complex and Quickcomm can help you simplify those complexities so your organization can not only survive but thrive with today’s hyper-connected generation.

Quickcomm will be attending and sponsoring the upcoming Heliview Conference on Telecom Expense Management (TEM), to be held March 14^th in the Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam. The conference is the only one of its kind in Europe that unites both end users and telecom integrators.

Expected to attract over 100 attendees, the conference will offer attendees a chance to participate, learn, and discuss the latest developments in telecom management and managed mobility.  Conference keynotes will touch on hot topics such as the future of telecom management, cross border management, asset management, MDM, and the value of TEM.

We are looking forward to meeting with end users and hearing their perspectives on the industry as well as sharing our thoughts about the future of telecom management and the opportunities ahead.

You can register yourself for free as one of our VIP by completing the registration form and entering Quickcomm’s VIP number 9023/16.

Be sure to follow along on Twitter @Quickcomm and look out for the #Heliview hashtag!

According to xcube, 63% of enterprises are adopting mobility for cost savings. And according to the chart,  30% of respondents already believe that an area of immediate benefit is operational efficiency and cost-reduction. However, we need to ask how enterprises are measuring this? Is it supported by data, anecdotal responses by employees, or an assumption of how mobility should be benefiting the enterprise? These measures are qualitative, and perceived benefits are often exaggerated. If an organization is unsure of the pros and cons of mobility and cannot successfully measure the cost savings and productivity value, unilaterally deploying mobile devices may not be the best decision.

What we can take away from this graphic is an idea of the value that enterprises want and expect mobility to provide to their organizations. The next step is to identify KPIs and policies to help enterprises gain the most value from their mobility solutions.

Mobile applications pose additional challenges to the enterprise. Xcube’s infographic states that enterprise mobility solutions will generate nearly $40bn in annual sales for developers by 2016. It’s clear that apps are a hot commodity. Even Flurry’s data supports the increase in app consumption and usage noting that app usage surpassed web usage (on mobile phones) in June 2011 and that the gap is increasing. But an extremely important point is what people are doing: social networking and games capture the lion’s share of application consumption at a combined 79%. Entertainment and news comprised 13%, while “other” – which may or may not be business related uses – accounted for only 8%.

What does this mean for enterprises? Mobile device adoption in the work place is inevitable, as is the adoption and use of apps. However, enterprises need to more clearly understand not only what they want to gain as a result, but also their employees’ behaviors. The challenge is balancing the way enterprises want mobile devices and apps to be used – and the impact on the business – with how employees are using them. As we’ve noted before, the rapid growth of the enterprise mobility market makes it extremely important for enterprises to develop a comprehensive solution to manage and control the complex processes associated with a mobile strategy.

According to Quickcomm’s Kurt Brown, Vice President of Innovation, who was recently cited in BusinessNewsDaily’s 30 Big Ideas, Trends and Predictions for 2012, “The expense management of mobile applications, cloud computing, and SaaS subscriptions (salesforce, LinkedIn, etc.) are three areas that we feel will significantly challenge many organizations in 2012.” In order to avoid these challenges, now is the time to observe your current telecom expense management strategies to ensure they will be effective enough to keep costs under control.

As cloud computing and SaaS subscriptions continue to expand, organizations will need to understand the options offered by vendors. Additionally, hidden costs such as hardware, training, customization, maintenance, and upgrades must be taken into account. These types of hidden costs should be analyzed and budgeted prior to procurement.

At Quickcomm, we are gearing up for a big year in wireless. Follow along with us on Twitter as we discuss these predictions, the world of TEM, industry news and tips on how to control telecom spend within your organization.

Global Industry Analysts (GIA) refer to enterprise mobility as the combination of hardware, software and business applications used by employees to stay connected from remote locations on their mobile devices. With the introduction of new smartphones and tablets, in addition to business apps for these devices, the market is set to continue its growth, meaning enterprise mobility solutions will be an increasingly imperative part of any IT budget.

At Quickcomm, our solution helps enterprises manage and control their mobile and telecom infrastructures in real-time, while dramatically reducing costs. With Quickcomm, customers gain visibility into the complex processes surrounding an enterprise’s mobile strategy and are enabled to manage any number of devices, usage plans, invoices and applications across any carrier worldwide through a centralized solution.

Interested in learning more about our solutions? Contact us at: marketing@quickcomm.com

NEW YORK, NY – June 10, 2011 – - Quickcomm, the leading provider of telecom expense management (TEM) solutions for enterprises and multi-national corporations, today announced support for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team at the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2011 in Montreal on June 12, 2011. Quickcomm’s logo will be displayed on both vehicles racing for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Racing Team.

Vodafone is the principal sponsor and partner of mobile solutions for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Racing Team. This sponsorship is the biggest that Vodafone maintains worldwide and is part of the continued commitment of the company with the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, a competition with increasing media coverage and followers all around the world.

This is the fifth season of the sponsorship agreement between Vodafone and the McLaren Mercedes Racing Team. Apart from the traditional marketing initiatives, this sponsorship has allowed Vodafone and McLaren to collaborate in the investigation and development of new technologies.

“We are thrilled to have the Quickcomm brand featured during a world-class event such as the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2011,” said Mark Evans, CEO, Quickcomm. “The selection of our brand by Vodafone for the sponsorship reinforces their commitment to deliver the most comprehensive telecom management solution available.”

About Quickcomm

Established in Australia in 1997, Quickcomm is the leading provider of telecom expense management (TEM) and managed mobility solutions for enterprises and multi-national corporations. Quickcomm’s managed services and technology platform helps customers manage and control their telecom infrastructure while dramatically reducing costs. Quickcomm is headquartered in New York and has presence in 27 countries around the world. For the latest insight and perspective on TEM and managed mobility, visit Quickcomm at http://blog.quickcomm.com/ and http://twitter.com/quickcomm.

Quickcomm and the Quickcomm logo are trademarks of Quickcomm. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

F1, FORMULA 1, FORMULA ONE, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company. All rights reserved.

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Vodafone Global Enterprise – the business within Vodafone which manages the communications needs of its largest multinational customers – today announces the acquisitions of two telecom expense management (“TEM”) companies: Quickcomm and TnT Expense Management.

Multinational companies require full visibility and control of both fixed line and mobile spending as they grow, shrink or change the scope of their operations. Vodafone Global Enterprise already has a strong track record in expense management and these two acquisitions will propel Vodafone into being a leading TEM company for multinational organisations.

Quickcomm, a leading developer of TEM software, is headquartered in Sydney, Australia and has offices in the US, UK and Singapore. Quickcomm will continue to sell and provide ongoing support for its products, as well as becoming a fully integrated part of the Vodafone Telecoms Management solution.

Read more: here