By Brian Lang, Director Real Time Logistics, Dematic.
With such an abundance of industry technology currently being used across multiple business channels, it has become increasingly difficult to manage and keep track of all the mobile devices that exist within operations.
Battery failures, device issues, or a lack of devices can all lead to big operational disruptions. Security risks are also a large threat when you are unable to identify lost, stolen or security breached devices, making them incredibly prone to vulnerabilities.
One of our valued partners and industry leaders in enterprise mobility, Zebra, has unveiled Zebra VisibilityIQ; providing instant business intelligence about your zebra devices, when and how you need it, so you can get the best out of your assets, workers and daily tasks.
Why is device visibility crucial?
Dependence on mobile assets in business-critical environments will only continue to grow – with the number of connected devices worldwide forecast to reach 75 billion by 2025.
However, without the ability to see where your devices are and what they’re doing, you become unable to manage and track their performance, which means there is more time wasted on manually locating the devices or rolling out new devices, as well as reduced productivity when there are delays in detecting issues such as interrupted IT networks, device service needs or security threats.
Beyond knowing where your devices are, if they are charged, if they need repairs, and if they are having technical issues, it is also critical to understand how the devices are being used and if there are enough of them at each location in order for them to be best utilised.
Without clear and comprehensive data that is easy to access, it’s challenging to see and monitor how your many devices are performing or decide what steps you need to take to improve operations. Zebra’s VisibilityIQ works to enable a portfolio of tools to generate data-driven, actionable insights to maximise your technology investments and security.
By deploying VisibilityIQ into operations, your business can discover clarity in device data, and avoid service disruption and disorder. It also reduces overhead costs associated with repairs and an excessive inventory.
Moving beyond a MDM solution
Having a mobile device management (MDM) solution alone isn’t enough in a world where mobility is now so incredibly vast. For example, VisibilityIQ can go beyond the benefits of a standard MDM, to show the repair status of your devices and identify any issues before they occur, which reduces the number of faults and helps a business to save both time and money.
A MDM often has you hunting for information that it can’t provide. The VisibilityIQ solution has everything in one place, such as contracts, support cases, repair statuses, and Zebra internet of things (IoT) agent data, which is all displayed in simple and easy to read traffic light colours.
A MDM’s data is often complicated to understand, and it doesn’t collect historical data, so you are unable to see trends to predict and prevent any problems. VisibilityIQ is simple and easy to use, giving you a clear relay of action-ready insights. It also democratises your data and customises the view based on a person’s role – as opposed to a MDM which is only accessed by IT.
VisibilityIQ benefits and business outcomes
The VisibilityIQ solution has a vast range of operational and business benefits, built to increase workplace efficiency and streamline productivity with real-time, actional insights. The solution allows you to leverage one easy to manage pane of glass, giving visibility to all device information.
Zebra VisibilityIQ is available in three unique solutions:
VisibilityIQ Foresight
Provides live insight into how your device is performing, highlighting any technical issues before they begin to impact operations and tracking productivity. It also helps to ensure your devices are ready and available for the workday, to forgo any guesswork for data-driven decisions.
VisibilityIQ DNA
VisibilityIQ DNA is an advanced system that includes key mobility tools, with consoles that customers can use to improve efficiencies, also improving the performance of Wi-Fi networks and overall coverage. It works to rapidly configure fleets of devices and identify good batteries from bad ones, to ensure your devices are always running smoothly.
VisibilityIQ OneCare
Provides information around repairs, contract information, support cases, and the status of your lifeguard security patches. The OneCare system is designed to maximise device uptime by getting technical support and repair service reports online, as well as security information – safeguarding your device data and identifying which devices may be vulnerable.
“There are a huge range of device issues that can occur out of the blue, which is why VisibilityIQ is such an important tool to have for industries that rely heavily on technology,” says Daniel Park, Technology Evangelist at Zebra Technologies.
“Device downtime, battery failures, unknown security risks, unplanned expenses, as well as stolen or lost devices exist as some of the many things that could very quickly impact operations. This makes the management of mobile devices, especially when there are a lot of them, awfully hard to keep on top of. VisibilityIQ delivers data-driven insights, which provide real-time visibility of your devices and how they are running, as well as your staff members and any daily priorities, in way that’s straightforward and easy to use for everyone,” added Daniel.
For further information visit https://www.realtimelogistics.com.au/visibility-iq-webinar-2/