Every business runs on mobile devices these days.
Smartphones, tablets, handheld scanners. Whatever they use, your team depend on technology to do their jobs. But here’s the secret nobody tells you… Broken tech costs your business. And it’s a lot more costly than most realise.
Find out exactly how downtime and damage are secretly costing you money – and what you can do about it – in this blog.
Let’s jump in!
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- The Real Cost Of Mobile Device Downtime
- Why Damage Is The Hidden Bottom Line Killer
- What Smarter Mobile Asset Management Looks Like
- Business IT Asset Recovery Strategies That Work
- Building A Damage-Proof Mobile Strategy
The Real Cost Of Mobile Device Downtime
When a work phone or tablet stops working, the impact is huge.
When a device goes down for business owners, most only focus on the repair bill. What they don’t realize is that it’s just the beginning of the costs. The costs incurred while the device is down are where it hits you.
Here’s what that means:
If your employee can’t access their device, orders sit unprocessed. Customers experience delays. Sales are lost. And this is just one employee. Imagine what happens when your entire workforce is affected.
New studies indicate that 44% of businesses now calculate their hourly downtime expenses at greater than $1 million. Let that number sink in for a second. Even small businesses get pinched.
Why should you care? Asset recovery is important because business IT asset recovery really comes down to productivity. How quickly can your employees return to work? The longer they are down, the more money you are losing. That is why proactive companies buy products like industrial phone cases to prevent damage before it occurs. Prevention is always less expensive than recovery.
Why Damage Is The Hidden Bottom Line Killer
Damage to mobile devices is more common than you’d think.
Latest polls revealed that 78 million Americans cracked their smartphones within the past year. Seriously? And the average expense to fix/renew each phone is $302.
Now think about that in a business context…
Let’s say you have a fleet of 50 mobile devices. If only 20% become damaged throughout the year, you’re still looking at repair costs of approximately $3,020. And that’s not considering:
- Lost productivity while the device is being fixed
- Time spent finding a replacement
- Setting up the new or repaired device
- Backing up and restoring data
The hidden costs add up fast.
And here’s another thing most people don’t consider… Devices still get damaged with a case on them! Approximately 21% of consumers have dropped/damaged their phone while it was in a protective case. What does that tell you? Well, not all cases are created equal.
A typical consumer case isn’t meant for warehouse environments, building sites, delivery vans or shop floors. It’s time business owners rethought protection.
What Smarter Mobile Asset Management Looks Like
Smart mobile asset management isn’t complicated.
It simply means that you treat your business mobile devices as business assets. Here is an easy guide to follow:
Step 1 — Audit Your Current Devices
Start by getting a complete picture of what you’ve got. Make a list of:
- Every mobile device in your business
- Who uses each device
- What kind of work environment it’s used in
- The age and condition of each device
This gives you a clear starting point.
Step 2 — Identify High-Risk Devices
Devices face different levels of risk. A tablet sitting on a reception desk has a much lower risk of damage than a smartphone used by a delivery driver. After determining risk levels, you can prioritize protection for your highest-risk devices.
Step 3 — Invest In Proper Protection
This is usually where companies skimp and suffer consequences. The best protection varies based on your work environment. If you’re going to be in tough situations, rugged-grade cases are worth the investment.
Business IT Asset Recovery Strategies That Work
Even with the best protection, things break. That’s just reality.
It’s not a matter of IF something will fail it’s WHEN. Smart business owners prepare for this beforehand with an adequate recovery plan.
Here’s what a good recovery plan looks like:
Have Backup Devices Ready
Always keep a couple devices handy as backups. If one breaks, simply replace it and carry on with minimal interruption.
Use Cloud-Based Data Backup
When your device gets lost or damaged, you don’t want your data lost too. Enable automatic cloud backups on all business mobile devices.
Build A Repair Network
Build relationships with dependable repair services in advance. You don’t want to try and search for a reliable repair shop when you’re in the middle of an emergency.
Track Your Devices
If you can’t see it, you can’t manage it. Keep a basic spreadsheet or computer equipment management system inventory of every device, its condition and repair history.
Building A Damage-Proof Mobile Strategy
Any good mobile security strategy begins with prevention and concludes with quick recovery. In between:
- Quality protection: Don’t skimp on cases for devices used in tough environments.
- Regular upkeep: Have maintenance appointments with your tech. Batteries, screens and software updates are important to overall health.
- Training: Human error/device misuse causes the majority of incidents. Training employees can prevent thousands of dollars of damage.
- Simple policies: Be sure your team knows how to react if a device gets damaged. Time is of the essence when it comes to recovering.
The reality is that most businesses react too much to issues rather than preventing them from happening. Preventing downtime with proactive mobile asset management saves you money and time from idle employees.
One more thing…
Remember device lifecycles. Phones and tablets don’t live forever. Schedule replacements and upgrades before your devices start crashing.
Final Thoughts
Mobile devices are no longer optional for businesses.
Collaboration tools keep your teams connected, productive and competitive. But every piece of equipment you own is also a potential liability. Hidden damage and downtime can quickly wreak havoc on your bottom line—not always evident on a balance sheet.
The good news? You can take control.
When you purchase adequate protection, have a solid business IT asset recovery plan in place, and care for your technology like the assets they are, you can save your business from unforeseen expenses. Let’s review briefly:
- Mobile device downtime can cost businesses millions per year
- Damage is more common than most owners think
- Proper protection prevents most common damage
- A solid recovery plan minimises downtime when things break
Reevaluate your existing mobile device strategy. If you haven’t got one…create one NOW.
