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Companies Wasting Money and Time On Mobile DevicesINDIANAPOLIS, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies are wasting money on unused minutes and unnecessary charges for their employees' mobile phones, according to a new survey by Mobi, a mobile device management company. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090401/DE92785) The survey of both employees and information technology professionals found that: -- Only one in four employees uses most (75% - 100%) of the monthly minutes their company is paying for -- More than one third (35%) of employees have downloaded extras like ringtones and costly data applications for their mobile devices, on the company dime -- 14% of employees are spending $10 or more per month of their company's money on extras -- Nearly half (48%) of employees say their wireless plan includes services they don't use -- Forty-three percent of IT professionals think they consistently overpay for wireless device service -- Almost a quarter of those (22%) think they overpay by 20% or more each month According to Brandon Hampton, director of Mobi, one of the main reasons companies waste money on mobile devices and services is that they lack a clear, enforceable policy for employees. "Our survey showed that a third of companies have no policy in place at all, and another 17 percent don't enforce their policy. So it's not surprising that money is being wasted on unnecessary services and other extras, because companies aren't monitoring their mobile programs." Hampton adds that in this recession, with two thirds of companies (64%) reporting that they are re-evaluating IT budgets, keeping a handle on mobile device expenditures is critical. "Having a clear mobile policy that is understood by all employees and enforced is the first step towards eliminating waste from your mobile budget," said Hampton. "We find that our clients usually experience a 25 percent reduction in mobile costs just by having a policy in place." And it's not just money that is wasted - there are significant soft costs associated with a mobile program. Internal IT administrators are often utilized as the first line of defense to assist employees with day-to-day program issues. Almost half the IT managers surveyed said they spend 20% or more of their department's time on wireless management. Employees are also spending significant work hours dealing with wireless - almost one-third (31%) spend between one and five hours a month on mobile issues, while 13% spend more than 10 hours a month. "That is all time that could be spent much more productively, if companies simply streamline their mobile device management," said Hampton. New Service Helps Companies Establish and Enforce Mobile Policy According to Hampton, one of the main reasons many companies lack a mobile device policy is that they don't know where to begin. "It can be overwhelming - particularly if you don't have a good understanding of how employees are using their devices - to determine a workable policy," said Hampton. Mobi, a new web-based service that helps companies manage their mobile device program, is designed to help. Mobi first assists administrators in creating a mobile device policy. Employees utilize the online tool to make requests, like replacement devices or additional features - using the pre-established mobile policy, the Mobi portal offers customized transaction options to employees. Mobi then processes employee transactions direct with each service provider, allowing administrators to focus on overall program management instead of solving day-to-day problems. Finally, Mobi provides online reporting tools to help managers identify waste and ultimately cut costs. For more information about Mobi and advice on managing your mobile device policy, visit http://www.thefutureis.mobi/. About the survey: Mobi conducted a nationwide Zoomerang survey of 200 IT professionals and 200 employees with company-issued mobile devices during December, 2008 and January, 2009. Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090401/DE92785http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN19PRN Photo Desk, [email protected] Mobi CONTACT: Cathy Yingling, Y&L PR, +1-317-264-5860, [email protected] |