As a CTO or Project Manager, you’re probably juggling several but equally pressing tasks. You need to be able to balance the needs of your team with those of the business and still deliver quality work. One area where this can be difficult is device management—not only do you have to worry about devices being lost or stolen, but also about malware and data breaches. To remain competitive in today’s environment, it is critical for companies to have an effective device management solution in place. This post will outline five things you should look for when selecting a COSU Device Management Solution provider.

COSU or corporate-owned single-use devices are machines that serve a singular purpose. Think of bank ATMs, registration kiosks, electronic billboards, or even voting machines. Managing an entire fleet of dedicated devices means that IT administrators preserve and maintain each COSU device’s integrity. It’s a task that can only be performed by reliable COSU device management software.

Making sure these dedicated devices stay true to their single objective is a full-time undertaking. By enabling these devices to focus on their main purpose, they perform better because they can harness all their resources into performing the single assigned task.

There are many software options that claim to offer a COSU device management solution but, at the very minimum, they should have five items as standard features. If the solution lacks one or more of these features, it would be hard to validate its claim of being a complete COSU device management solution.

 

1. It Should Run on a Cloud-Based System

A complete COSU device management solution should have no problems connecting to dedicated devices under its mantle. This is why a cloud-based system is a must. When dealing with large fleets comprised of thousands of units, the ability to connect simultaneously to multiple devices becomes crucial.

On-premises connections might offer better stability, but the reality of having all devices in a single, accessible location is unlikely. In addition, cloud services offer better flexibility and scalability compared to on-premise solutions. They can also end up costing less in the long run. Regular subscription charges might be more cost-efficient for a company’s needs versus setting up their own infrastructure.

 

2. It Should Be Device-Agnostic 

Nothing can prove more challenging than managing different devices with different operating systems. This can be compounded when dealing with a fleet of phones, tablets, and smart TVs that use different hardware.

Device agnosticism allows systems to connect and work on devices regardless of the underlying operating system. Agnosticism directly refers to the capability of a system to provide compatibility across popular systems. The growing trend of Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) is the major driving factor for device-agnostic systems. Ensuring that software solutions recognize most devices regardless of OS is becoming a major requirement.

 

3. It Should Provide Extensive Security Features

COSU devices assigned to remote locations are vulnerable to attacks. The likelihood of device theft increases the further its location. In addition, a lack of visible security may encourage some individuals to make attempts to access the device. In some cases, some may attempt to change some device settings in order to use the device for some other purpose. Others might want to access the data.

A complete COSU device management solution should include security measures that address the above scenarios. It should have remote access security features that allow administrators to assume command of a device once a threat emerges. For example, IT administrators may lock or freeze a device once it detects unauthorized access or a change of the device’s location. They can also choose to wipe data when a breach occurs.

 

4. It Should Have Analytics Capabilities

Individual fleet devices are a literal information gold mine. The COSU management solution should track numbers regarding usage and preferences. In addition to the ability to gather data, systems should have analytics capabilities that allow users to consolidate the information with multiple devices and generate insights. These go a long way in helping set the agenda for future improvements and modifications to an existing system.

Analytics must be standard for COSU device management solutions. The ability to gather and consolidate user behavioural patterns can prove extremely useful to companies seeking to maintain a competitive edge.

 

5. It Should Provide Multiple Access Levels 

Companies that have deployed a fleet of COSU devices will have a number of organizational units that will need access to the units individually and collectively. Obviously, IT teams will need complete access to all devices to effectively manage and maintain them remotely.

Having a COSU device management software can recognize and assign different access levels depending on a department’s specific needs. Data-hungry departments like analytics, marketing, and sales, for example, won’t require remote permissions or security feature access. IT teams—on the other hand—won’t need user data as much as they need access to the technical information. This way, information remains a tightly guarded resource and access granted on a per-need basis.

Customer service teams can leverage user experience data to better manage accounts and anticipate areas of concern for subscribers. Marketing and sales teams can feed off usage data to help them develop new and improved strategies. Data scientists can distill the information further and provide deeper insights.

 

Review Multiple Solutions Before Choosing a COSU Device Management Solution

There are many options for COSU device management solutions, but not all of them will be right for your organization. It’s important to explore the different types and features that each one offers before making a decision about which one best suits you.

To help narrow down your choices, take into consideration what level of access you need from users on devices as well as potential analytics capabilities, security features, and whether or not the solution runs on a cloud-based system. These pointers should serve as a good starting point for acquiring the best and most reliable COSU device management software.