Flexibility

The Challenge:
Purpose-Built Can Be Limiting

For many years, enterprise organizations thought that purpose-built devices for specific workflows were the way to go. In retail, for example, a completely different device for inventory scanning than what associates use for point of sale. But now, it's time to shift that paradigm.

In the past, purpose-built devices often made sense because they did the job for that use case well, and utilizing a multi-use device often involved workarounds or clunky peripherals that slowed productivity and weren't reliable. That isn't the case anymore, and buying and supporting a wide range of devices isn't a smart business practice.

Take the example of a restaurant. With specialized devices for table management, inventory and food safety, ordering and tableside payments, etc., you quickly run into a scenario where there are more devices than employees on a shift to accommodate peak capacity for each use case.

With purpose-built devices you’re committed to managing separate technology solutions (procurement, lifecycle management, support, etc.) and that equates to higher costs and lower efficiency when employees can't seamlessly move between different workflows.

The Solution:
Go Omni-Use

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are so good now—and offer such powerful apps—that the same device can easily handle different workflows quickly and efficiently. For example, the camera on iPhone or iPad paired with the right app is a highly effective barcode scanner for inventory management in retail. The same device is a user-friendly customer service tool that associates can carry with them and help shoppers anywhere in a store. You not only benefit from the simplification of your technology stack, but you empower employees to seamlessly move between workflows so they can do more—potentially lowering labor costs.

Endpoint management solutions can also be used to create different experiences for different users on shared devices when they log in—for example, showing the apps that a particular user typically needs more prominently on the home screen or completely blocking apps and information that are not relevant to what they do. In a restaurant, for example, a host or server gets one set of apps on login, while cooks get applications for kitchen management.

Your investment in the total number of devices goes down—per store, per employee—and that's amplified as you look across your organization.

Stratix services not only keep those devices supported, repaired, and working, but our UEM team consultants can build login profiles for you that are tailored to employee types and needs.

The bottom line: shifting from purpose-built devices to flexible, multi-use mobile devices streamlines workflows, reduces costs, and improves efficiency—enabling employees to seamlessly handle various tasks while simplifying technology management across the organization.