Why aren’t laptops as easy to manage as smartphones?

Smartphones are great for business. Ship them to the user, have them sign in and everything comes down over the air, from anywhere there’s an internet connection. Swapping to another device requires grabbing a new one and signing in. Files, contacts, and other information are synced and will download from the Cloud to the new device upon sign in.

IT can manage the device remotely and rarely, if ever, needs to physically touch the device. Further, updates to the operating system and apps don’t require management by the IT team. Instead IT sets an update policy and compliance controls enforce the policy. Users don’t need to worry about VPNs or being connected to the company network. They can update the device when prompted, on their own schedule and from their own internet connection.

Why aren’t Windows devices like this?

Business as unusual

Windows device management has always been a hefty cost for the average business.  For each new employee that comes on board a company, significant time and costs go into getting their devices set up and into the hands of the employee.

IT administrators have to set up a new device specific to the user – or repurpose an existing device.  That requires imaging the device – a process where settings, apps, and other company information are placed on to the device from a master template – which can take several hours.  New devices must be ordered in advance or employees will face delays since IT must first take delivery of the new device so that it can be set up. The ‘golden’ image must be maintained and updated, and this comes at great cost, sometimes requiring a full-time role or even a team for larger companies.

Updates to Windows devices is another pain point, with IT needing to review and approve updates to the operating system and needing to manage application updates – a process known as patch management. Often companies are behind on patching and this increases the risk of attack for a company.

Breaking tradition

Microsoft have spent several years adding remote management capabilities to the Windows 10 operating system. Microsoft Endpoint Manager and its MDM solution, Microsoft Intune provide a new way to manage Windows devices.

Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft, referred to some outcomes when he presented at Ignite. Some of the data he showed were

• 91% of all companies switching to Intune have lowered device costs
• 19% of all devices are currently under Intune management with 36% projected by Sep 1, 2020
• After adopting modern management through Intune, employee satisfaction for remote work jumped by 210%.

Changing the bottom line  

Managing Windows like a smartphone has several benefits. First, it moves the bottom line for IT departments. A Forrester study of the effect of the Modern Managed Desktop showed that competitive outcomes are massive with Endpoint Manager and Microsoft Intune. Switching to Intune eliminates the need for imaging entirely. Further it eliminates all patch management for Windows – at least on end user devices. In the study, provisioning time was cut by 90%. Time spent on end-user device management was reduced by 50%. Help desk calls were reduced by 35%. Imaging what IT could do with all that time returned.

The second benefit is improvements to the employee experience. In the Forrester study, employee retention increased by 81%. It even influenced clients’ perception of the studied companies with their customers showing a 76% improvement in their Net Promoter Score.

Device management designed for remote work

Across our work and personal lives, we want computer environments that are instant, mobile, and personalised. Companies need to create device management structures to match and legacy management is no longer fit for purpose when remote work is the norm.

If you’re interested in learning more about Microsoft Intune, check out Mobile Mentor’s Manage Windows 10 like a Smartphone webinar on October 27^th, you’ll hear about the most effective modern ways to manage all your enterprise devices.

Click through to register here.