Chapter 3
Our customers run successful BYOD strategies with Scandit-powered apps deployed on thousands of active devices worldwide, including over 2,000 different smart device models.
Drawing on our experience of working with clients who have adopted a BYOD strategy, here are some of the important considerations when weighing up the value of a BYOD strategy to your last mile digital transformation:
- Factor in the total cost of ownership and employee incentive plan
- Review your security and usage policy
- Understand how BYOD affects device breakage and loss
1. Factor in the total cost of ownership and employee incentive plan
Developing an incentive plan to reimburse BYOD employees for the costs they may incur is quite common. This could include:
- Reimbursement of data usage: A win-win as an employee perk, given enterprises would be liable for the cost of corporate owned devices anyway.
- Device discounts: Enterprises may negotiate considerable staff discounts with smartphone suppliers.
- Accessories: Paying for accessories to ensure a great user experience, like chargers and cases within an agreed price range.
Reduce costs versus hardware scanners
Typically, annual reimbursement costs to workers average one-tenth of the cost of a dedicated scanner. So, even if you give generous incentives to your workforce, including seasonal workers, you will still be spending considerably less than the cost of providing dedicated scanners. BYOD also provides additional savings compared to replacing hardware scanners with business-owned smart devices.
2. Review your security and usage policy
Most of our clients with BYOD use a mobile device management (MDM) solution because:
- MDM ensures the necessary levels of security, control and visibility are maintained.
- For enterprises with widespread mobile use for communications, MDM is likely already in place and extending it for BYOD is simple.
- Enterprises can retain a level of control over devices and what happens with them, despite them not being business provided.
- MDM can often be easily reconfigured for employees’ devices without incurring additional costs compared to deploying corporate devices.
3. Understand how BYOD affects device breakage and loss
One consideration and concern around adopting BYOD is the risk of device loss or damage, and the number of devices that would need replacing. When comparing company-owned devices, some of our clients experience lower breakage and loss rates with BYOD devices.
This is generally because employees take more care of their own devices than they do company devices. Smartphones also typically fit in the driver’s pocket, so are easier to store and get less wear and tear as they aren’t left loose on the van seat.
Also, replacing just one dedicated scanner is the equivalent to reimbursing the cost of replacing an average of three to four mobile devices. Accessories such as straps and protective cases can also be factored into the reimbursement costs, while still offering a saving against dedicated scanning hardware.
“Using the smartphone for Last Mile delivery is so inexpensive that it’s effectively free to replace if the driver loses or breaks it.”
Sven Poppelmann, CTO, Farmdrop