Tuesday, 17 November 2020: Whilst Covid-19 drove many businesses online, many are experiencing the pain points of the digital economy, including device issues and problems with software and data management. Explains Grant Defries, CEO of YBuy, a startup owned by JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms Group, “We hear horror stories from our clients, particularly those who use dedicated mobile applications to run their businesses via enterprise applications.
“Organisations are getting massive bills at month-end or running out of data mid-month due to staff accessing unauthorized, data-heavy platforms like Netflix on work devices. Internet service providers are incentivized to drive up data usage and invoice retrospectively, which leads to bill shock and the inability to predict future data requirements.
“It’s clear that businesses need to reduce employee distractions and ensure optimal management of their enterprise applications. Companies are at severe risk of data abuse as SA’s cost per megabyte of data is one of the highest in the world and out-of-bundle rates are exorbitant. Failure to manage this facet of business can affect the profitability and ultimately, the viability of these organizations.”
With employees becoming more device and tech-savvy, greater controls and analytics need to be implemented and monitored.
YBuy, which specializes in affordable, value-laden rental packages of mobile devices, saw the need to extend its service to include holistic data and device management for businesses. The consumer model of procuring mobile devices and data simply doesn’t serve businesses adequately and YBuy saw an opportunity to deliver a holistic B2B solution that would drive cost-savings and optimized digital efficiencies.
They have therefore partnered with Mint Solutions which offers a holistic mobility management solution for organizations that need to manage mobile or IoT assets, data consumption, device security, and user productivity.
This partnership leverages the vast expertise of both brands’ parent companies, Blue Label Telecoms Group and Trackmatic, delivering an industry-leading holistic solution that optimizes corporates’ entire mobile ecosystem.
“Our solution is industry-agnostic and could work for any business reliant on an enterprise app to deliver its product or service. This could include a courier company that uses an internal app for customer location routing, a security company that depends on real-time security alerts or an online retailer whose timely delivery fulfillment hinges on this kind of platform.
“If the device running that essential application is faulty or runs out of data, the app cannot function and the employee cannot do his job effectively. The downtime can result in delays in order fulfillment which can lead to loss of business,” says Danielle Afriat, director at Mint Solutions.
“In addition, these businesses need guidance in making correct procurement decisions when it comes to mobile devices and data packages for their staff. Poor purchasing choices can have drastic cost and operational implications for an organization. Having the flexibility to procure your enterprise devices on a rental contract alleviates upfront operational expenses and gives you flexibility to change your package as your needs shift,” says Defries.
YBuy’s rental model offers a cost-saving of approximately 25% of the cost of purchasing and removes the hassle from depreciating stock prone to problems. This frees up significant cashflow, enabling companies to redirect funds into other business areas critical for growth. YBuy’s contracts include repairs and insurance; they also offer customers surplus devices to replace faulty or lost devices.
These devices are restricted or ‘locked down’ so that users are only able to access core business applications. Unlimited data supply is offered to ensure constant connectivity, the lifeblood of businesses reliant on these platforms.
For a tailor-made proposal from YBuy and Mint Solutions, complete an inquiry form at: https://ybuy.co.za/integrated-mobility-solutions/.
Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash
