An article posted by the Aberdeen group (http://blogs.aberdeen.com/communications/the-true-cost-of-byod/) talks about the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) work environments.

The article shows a higher overall cost to those environments that utilize BYOD and they hit the nail on the head, but only scratched the surface. Managing 1000 units across one corporate account will also produce substantial savings opportunities through areas such as: voice pooling, data pooling, internal calling options, bulk carrier discounts, and access to more lucrative plans and features – not generally available to the individual consumer.

Management of the fleet is far more cost effective when managed corporately. Managing individual consumer accounts is extremely labour intensive and generally difficult to find cost savings, as they are outside of the Corporate Group. As an analyst with, GILL Technologies, that reviews thousands of mobile bills on a regular basis, I can tell you that finding carrier billing errors is much less labour intensive when there is some consistency to the account. Plan and feature savings are much easier to lay out with corporate accounts rather than individual consumer accounts. When people travel, dealing with any additional long distance and roaming can produce greater savings over corporate accounts. All this means higher costs when working with individual consumer accounts. You also need to factor in the additional challenge of people on and off trying to manage their own accounts. Sometimes people remember to make the changes and sometimes those changes are the right ones. But this is NOT always the case.

Another area where it is more cost effective to manage a corporate mobile device fleet over individual units is with potential down time. When a business manages a mobile fleet, they typically have spare units so that there is little to no “down time” for their end users when units are damaged etc. Our internal Client Care Team deals with these types of situations on a regular basis and it is usually a very simple process to get the person back up and running on another unit quickly within a corporate fleet. This is still possible in a BYOD environment but not nearly as cost effective, or as simple.

Creating a Corporate Mobile Device policy with regards to security becomes a significantly greater (and as a result more expensive) challenge within a BYOD environment. The IT department within a company may have a security policy that covers their mobile device fleet, but it becomes very challenging to implement and enforce across a BYOD environment. The transmission of company data, the storage of potentially sensitive files on personal mobile devices, no control over what 3rd party “apps” are on a persons personal smartphone, all pose significant and potentially severe challenges for a company that may choose to utilize a BYOD environment. There is also the concern about smartphones and other mobile devices and their cameras / recording capabilities within a corporate setting. This challenge is not easy to overcome in today’s world of smartphones regardless as to what enviroment a company utilizes but something that needs to be considered.

When all of these considerations are taken into account, the choice to reject a BYOD environment becomes easier for a business to do. The costs are higher and the security risks are greater.

Frustrating Cellular Customer Service

In the course of a day I likely speak to a majority of the Cellular Communications Carriers several times each, and it still baffles me the frustrating things that I continually encounter.

My favourite of course is the SCHEDULED upgrade or maintenance in the middle of a business day that prevents them from being able to see or do anything on any account! Seriously – Who schedules an upgrade or maintenance at their busiest time the of day?

I can understand that systems go down and there is little you can do about it, but why schedule it that way – why not wait until less busy hours?

Or how about the representative that has no common sense at all?

It’s extremely frustrating to hear them ask you to go to a menu in your mobile phone device, when you just finished telling them that the cellular phone will not power on – it just does not make logical sense! After explaining that I am not able to power the unit on, I am told that if they are not able to go through the trouble shooting steps with me then I will have to call back later when I can… Aghh!

Sometimes I find that the Cellular Customer Service representatives are so programmed on what to say, and in what order to say it, that they are no longer helpful, since what they are saying or asking does not make any logical sense. I had a call the other day where the account that I had questions on happened to have a security pass code that I was not aware of, so understandably I was told that they could not help me. Then they ended the call by saying “Was I able to answer all your questions today?” – Really !!!

Another thing that a lot of the cellular service providers do that is very frustrating as a customer, is only allowing for a certain amount of time to answer your questions or to fix your problem. Now first of all, as a customer I had to call in and then wait my time on hold just to get to a representative (and I have been on hold for over 4 hours on 1 call before), the last thing I want to hear is “I am sorry, but I can only help you with issues on 2 numbers because I have to take the next call”.

When it comes to cellular customer service, I do not expect that all of the representatives that take my phone calls will have all the answers that I ask, however – I do expect that these trained client care associates try to do their best to help me, and to either find the answers that I am looking for or point me in the right direction.

Unfortunately at the time of this post I regret to advise that most of the Cellular Carriers seem to be in the same boat. It is sad to think that this has become an acceptable way to do business.

So I would just like to say that for those of you that are providing great customer service to your clients – I sincerely thank you!! Keep up the great work!

When it comes to Cellular Phones & Communications Management, knowing there is someone out there that can help you  is key.

Contact our Client Care  team 1-877-982-6269 & see how we can help you & your organization.

Our Client Care Representatives will make managing your Communications so much Easier!

Hopefully you never find yourself in a situation like this: 

A few days ago, one of your employees came to you with a broken Blackberry that needed replacing. 

Unfortunately, they were not eligible for an upgrade yet. 

Fortunately, you were able to secure a used device from the neighboring business, who had recently switched carriers and mobile devices. 

You wiped the device (removed the previous stored information), swapped the SIMs (removed the previous card & inserted your  user’s SIM) and then had that user set a device password. 

So far all is good.  

That is, until they decide to swap over their emails.  They try and try, then pass it off to you, where you stare frustrated, after numerous attempts and mobile device wipes on your part. At this point you almost feel like you have wasted money on a useless device and will still have to find a new phone for your user. 

You see, what you didn’t realize was that your friendly neighboring business used a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, where you do not. And while they, meant no frustration or ill will when offering you the device, they left their IT policies on the device, causing you endless frustration. In terms of mobile device management, this can be a nightmare.

Now before you smash the Blackberry Smartphone against the wall, there are a couple of options you can use to remove the policy and wipe the device clean.

• Create a Blank IT policy

If you are still friendly with the neighboring business, or say an employee is leaving and would like to take their phone, an IT policy can be removed by replacing it with a blank IT policy.
Before the phone has been removed from the server, have the IT designate create a blank IT Policy, then assign it to the device. This should then allow the user to download apps, and set up their email.

• Wipe the phone using loader.exe

Perhaps your friendly neighboring business has moved and is no longer available. Or perhaps you found the phone on eBay.

Regardless, having a blank IT policy put onto the phone is not really a viable option for you.

Fear not! There is a solution for you too.  

There is a handy-dandy application that was downloaded with your Blackberry Desktop Software that can help.

• Keep in mind, this will completely wipe the phone ( again!), so if there is anything on the phone that you would like to not lose, make sure you do a back up.
• Start by plugging the  device into the computer.
• Next you will want to open the command prompt by going to Start, then Run, then CMD.
• In the box, type c:\program files\common files\research in motion\apploader , then hit Enter.
• Type LOADER.exe/resettofactory into the next box then hit enter.
• The phone will do it’s thing for a minute or two, and once it has reset – the IT policies should be gone.
• You may notice as well that this also removes the password lock, so you will have to set that up again.

And just like that, your employee is back in business with their newly replaced cellular phone device, and you are saved from having to shell out for a new phone.

** Note **: We do not recommend doing this to company owned  phones with active BES servers on them.  

Having access to mobile device management tips can turn a frustrating situation into an adaptable experience.

So check back often for updated cellular device tips – or subscribe to our blog so you’ll never miss a new tip!

Mobile devices have become an integral part of today’s business. Whether it is mobile phones for the fleet, or a variety of smartphones or mobile internet devices for sales people, they are indispensable tools for staff away from the office.

Imagine then, what would happen if suddenly a phone stopped working:

Sometime during your workday, one of your users was forced to return to the office from the field because their phone has stopped working. They are getting told all of their calls are going  to voicemail, and they are unable to place any outgoing calls from their phones.

A quick test call, sends you straight to voicemail, and confirms the issue.  The user had just recently been upgraded to a new phone, and it had worked fine before.

• You try pulling the battery and rebooting the phone, to no avail. Still no service on the phone. 
• You grab your phone and hold it next to the phone. You have service and are able to make calls no problem. 
• You check the phone again to make sure the SIM card is in the phone, and find it securely in the back of the phone. Still no service when you boot up the phone. 

Now what?

If you are in charge of your company’s mobile device management, even one unit not working right can turn into a huge issue fast. So here’s what you can do?

• Inspect the Cellular/Mobile Device.

First, make sure the phone is on and working correctly.

Make sure the battery is charged and is showing no signs of water or any other kind of damage.

If the phone has been left out in the cold or in the heat, let it come to room temperature.
Once the phone is on, check your signal strength, and make sure that you are getting a signal.

• Check the SIM Card.

Make sure the SIM card is in the phone and inserted correctly. Call your carrier and confirm the SIM card number with the carrier to make sure that it is active and is assigned to the correct phone number.  If you do not have a SIM card, make sure the device has been activated and is provisioned correctly.

• Call your Carrier.

Talk to your carrier and make sure everything on their end is looking good. Confirm that they are not having any service interruptions. You can also make sure that there are no blocks on the line, that the phone has not been call forwarded to another number, or the service hasn’t been cancelled or moved by mistake. If everything checks out, have them do a reset or resend to switch. This may help to solve you issue.

• Call Tech Support.

If all else fails, you may have to talk to tech support. They will be better able to trouble shoot with your phone and deem whether you may need to have it repaired or not. If it turns out to be an issue with the phone, moving them to a spare can get them back on the road in the meantime.

Having a driver or a salesperson down without a phone can be frustrating for both you and the user. Knowing how to quickly recover their service can be a useful skill to have, and can save you and the company both time and money.

Need extra help in this area? – Contact one of our expert Client Care Specialists!

For more information on our Client Care services please visit www.gill-technologies.com

Having the right plan for your company’s mobile devices can hugely impact your mobile expense management. The right plan, can help reduce overage charges, or, in the case of features, pay-per-use features. What would happen if the features or plans you had in place, were to disappear?

Here’s the Situation:

While going over your company’s bills, you notice a user who would benefit from a higher messaging plan. You email your corporate rep with the change you would like to make and leave it at that. A couple days later you receive your confirmation from the carrier that the change has been made. 

The next month your receive and open your bill, then nearly die of a heart attack. Where you had expected to see savings from changing the plan, you are now seeing thousands of dollars in usage charges on the same line. Somehow the users data plan had been removed, and has been paying for the 200+ MB of usage at pay-per use pricing!  Maybe it’s a mistake you think.  

You confirm with the carrier that there is no data plan on the line and that it was requested to be removed. Even worse, is that the user has another 200MB of unbilled usage and thousands more in usage charges! 

What to do?

• Re-Add and Confirm the Feature.

First of all get the data plan back on the line, and confirm with your carrier that all other features that should be on the line are present and are not set to expire on any date. This will avoid any more surprise charges on your bill.

• Ask for Credits.

Once you get the features added on again. Look up the original email or find any notes you have on the original call (when you called, who you spoke with, what was actually requested). If possible, have an approximate amount you want credited back to you. Clearly state your case, and what has happened, and what should have happened. If you emailed your request in, forward the original email with it to support your case.  It is easier to get credits if you can support as much as possible. Having as much information ready as possible will help you ( which is why it is important to always get the name of the person you were speaking with)

• Talk to your Corporate Rep.

If you are having trouble getting credits because of the notes that the cellular carrier made on the account, talk to your corporate rep and argue your case again. Advise – that because this user, has always had data, still uses data, and always had used data, then the feature should never have been removed.
If you had actually removed the feature by mistake, then they may be able to help you get a one-time credit or reduce the charges. But if it was truly the Cellular Carrier’s mistake – then they should issue you a credit.

• Call Loyalty & Retention.

If calling the cellular carrier customer service directly and/or speaking with your corporate rep, has not helped, as a last resort, speak with your carriers Loyalty and Retention department. If it comes down to the carrier keeping your business, they may  be able to issue you credits.

Hopefully, you never find yourself in a situation like this one. However – while mistakes like these are hard to plan for, prevention always helps in cases like these.

• Keep any emails you send or receive from the carriers, and keep notes of any calls you make to the carrier, including names, dates, and what you were requesting.
• It also helps to know what plan the user was on ( you can use bills as a reference) and what  features they should have on their lines.
• Not only will this give you a solid argument when calling for billing errors, but knowing this information can help you detect billing errors when they occur quickly, and help you maintain the mobile expenses for your mobile fleet.

As the Cellular Carriers continue to tweak their mobile plan offerings, one thing they are selling a lot of  is the Travel Pack Combos for travellers going to the US from Canada.

These combos offer Voice and Texting, Voice and Data, or Voice, Texting and Data allowances, at reduced rates.

But are these offerings the best option? 

That will obviously depend on your usage, but what I have generally found when being given a predetermined amount of minutes, the corresponding data or text allotment will either be insufficient, resulting in more charges for exceeded usage, or they grossly exceed your needs.

This means more of your money is going into your mobile service provider’s pocket.

• If you are unsure of what your usage will be, see if your carrier’s have Saver Options which will not restrict you to a limited allotment, and offer great rates – just ask your cellular customer service rep for details.
• Make sure you account for usage of voice, data and texting if you believe you will use them, as the pay-per-use charges may not be pleasant if you do nothing.

Don’t get me wrong… these Cellular Plan travel pack combos may be of benefit to many mobile device users, but are you sure you are one of them?

Having the right information can make managing your Communications so much Easier!

Need help in this area? Not sure what your options are?

Why not contact one of our expert Client Care Specialists?

For more information on our Client Care services please visit www.gill-technologies.com

There are a great many benefits to using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server in your company, including helping to improve IT productivity, the ability to sync and manage your corporate email, and the advanced security that it offers.

If you are the IT designate managing the cellular device fleet for your company, you may have had to handle a BES email activation a time or two, and chances are they have gone smoothly.

But what happens if it doesn’t go so smoothly? Heaven forbid you find yourself in this situation:

You have just upgraded a user to a BlackBerry cell device, and are about to activate her on your company’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server.  You have spoken with the BES administrator, and they have given you the activation password and all that is left is to punch in the password.  Except when you do, you get an error message.  Unfazed, you try it again. Same message. 

Perplexed, you check the browser, to make sure you are connected.  The page loads without a problem and you are able to cycle through a few web pages. Convinced it is not your connectivity, you try again. No luck.  

You pull the battery out, hoping that rebooting the phone will solve the problem. Only when the phone boots back up the activation icon has disappeared. 

You try downloading the service books again, and you get your icons back,  but the activation still won’t go through. 

Frustrated, you stare at the phone. You have exhausted every idea you can think of and still the email will still not activate. Now what?… 

While the software’s benefits may greatly out weigh an occasional problem, dealing with BlackBerry challenges can still be a great inconvenience to your company, costing you time, man power, and money.

If you have unfortunately found yourself in a situation like this, there are some things that may help.

• Check your activation password.

While it may seem almost too simple, double check that you are putting in the password correctly. Typos happen to to the best of us!

• Call your Cell provider.

Have the cellular customer service agent make sure that the BlackBerry has the correct  BES data plan on it, and then confirm that there are no blocks that may prevent the activation to go through. While you are on the phone, ask them to do a refresh on the device or a resend to switch. Sometimes refreshing things on their end will resolve the problem. If you’re still experiencing difficulties, they may transfer you to tech support and have you troubleshoot with them there.

• Talk to your BES Administrator.

If the issue can’t be resolved with your cell carrier’s tech support, then they will likely tell you to talk to your BES Administrator.  They will talk with your carriers BES team and try and resolve the issue on their end, and get your user activated on the server as smoothly as possible.

When it comes to BlackBerry management, knowing how to solve occasional challenges is key.

Need assistance in this area contact our Client Care services team: 1-877-982-6269 

Client Care Representatives can make managing your Communications so much Easier!

Is one of your fleet’s cellular phones broken, worn out, malfunctioning, or just completely not working?

Lets face it cell phones just do not seem to last the full -2 or 3 years of the contract – when you would normally be eligible for upgrade.

However – don’t despair. There are a few things that you can often try – so that you can avoid having to pay the full price of the replacement costs of new hardware.

• Firstly – Check to see if your existing mobile device is still under warranty! Generally cellular hardware has a 1 year warranty from the date of Purchase, Activation, Upgrade or Replacement. Of course warranty replacement  is not an option for physical or water damage type issues – but it is still worth looking into for other issues.

• Check your agreement – Some corporate agreements allow for upgrades earlier then the standard 2-3 years, it would be a clause written into your Cellular Corporate Agreement and is dependent on the size of your organization, and when your agreement was entered into.

• Call your Carrier Customer Service Department – If the end user that is in need of new hardware is not eligible for an upgrade or their cell phone is not still under warranty, then have your cellular carrier check to see if any other cell phone numbers on the account are eligible for an upgrade. Sometimes you can use another mobile number in your fleet to get the needed new hardware for the discounted price – then just switch the new cell phone to the number you would like to use. ** NOTE ** Be careful if you are upgrading to a smartphone and if you are using another fleet member’s cell number for the upgrade. This unit will need to already have a data plan – otherwise you will be committing it to a 3 yr data plan while the data is not needed!  You need to know that the data plan is not transferable to another user.

• Early Upgrade Options – Some cellular carriers offer an early upgrade option, where you pay an additional fee to upgrade your mobile device early. The fee is generally calculated on a per month basis – taking into account he number of remaining months on the contract or the number of months until you would be eligible for upgrade. Depending on what this fee is – it may also be cheaper than paying full price to replace the cell device!

• Check with your Corporate Rep – If your fleet is under a Corporate agreement, you may have been assigned a Corporate Rep for your Mobile Account. So if  there are no other options available (if the suggestions above do not work out for you), you should try contacting your cellular carrier or your Mobile Corporate Rep and ask if there is anything that they might be able to do. There may be an exception that they can make on your account to allow for the upgrade and thus making your user qualify for the reduced hardware price.