5 Things to Consider Before Buying Smartphones for your Business

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rugged smartphones

Choosing the best smartphone for your enterprise can be tricky. With thousands of models available from a variety of manufacturers, and multiple operating systems to choose from, it can be difficult to find the right device to fit your use case and business needs.

By choosing the right smartphone, you benefit from increased productivity, improved operational efficiency and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over time. It’s important to know what device and business factors to consider during the purchasing process, otherwise you might select the wrong device, which can result in inflated operation costs for your business.

Scandit understands the importance of choosing the right device for your needs. Whether you’re seeking a fully-rugged smartphone for outdoor environments, or a low-cost employee device to be used indoors, the same device factors should be considered. That’s why we’ve compiled resources to help you make the right decision. By evaluating these factors, you stand to make a better purchasing decision that will drive a successful enterprise mobility strategy for years to come.

Environmental Application

The first thing you should keep in mind is how and where this device will be used. If your mobile workforce is out in the field, in a warehouse or making deliveries, it will be important for the device to be rugged. Rugged devices provide protection in the workplace from drops, shocks, water, extreme temperatures and dirt. It’s also important to think about the device feature-set. If your employees will be using a phone outdoors, or wearing gloves, you’ll want to be sure devices features meet your needs.

Barcode Scanning Requirements

If you are using a smartphone for data capture, you’ll want to consider the frequency of use. If your employees are scanning thousands of barcodes per day, they will need a different device than if they are only scanning dozens of codes per day. The right hardware will increase scanning efficiency and keep your employees productive, whereas choosing the wrong smartphone for scanning needs could leave workers frustrated, and ultimately unproductive.

Performance

Just like most devices you purchase for the workplace, performance is a key factor to consider. Depending on your industry and use case, you may need a higher performing device. What types of software will you be operating? How much data will be stored on each device? How long is the device required to operate on any given day? What types of connectivity features are necessary for employees to complete their tasks? These are all questions you should be asking before purchasing a smartphone for enterprise use.

Security and Device Management

In today’s enterprise, IT management and security are of the utmost concern. No matter if you’re deploying devices directly to employees or embracing a BYOD model, you should be aware of security measures and device management options. If employees are handling sensitive data on the device, it’s important to understand encryption options, MDM capabilities and configuration. Ensure that your device purchase aligns with your IT policies and is able to work with your existing IT systems.

Total Cost of Ownership

One of the most important factors to consider is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). TCO is calculated by assessing two categories of costs over a device lifecycle: hard costs and soft costs. Hard costs involve the device itself, the software that runs on it and associated software development costs; while soft costs involve the training, operation and downtime costs. Both are very important to consider, and overall your device should provide a low TCO and a high return on investment, productivity and efficiency for your business.


Interested in purchasing a rugged smartphone for your business?

Download our 2015 Rugged Smartphone Buyers Guide.