Technology continues to become a major component in today’s work environment. Cell phones, computers, laptops, GPS devices, apps, social media, cameras, and many other devices have become commonplace. But with this availability to technology, the risk of employees misusing it and exposing the business to vulnerabilities has increased dramatically. Not to mention it can also affect employee productivity due to all the technological distractions.
To decrease technology exposure, many businesses are turning to phone monitoring software. Employee cell phone monitoring apps enable companies to track their employees’ company-owned mobile phones efficiently.
If you aren’t monitoring your employees in some way, you are making a big mistake. To start, you must be aware of the essential key features to look for in a cell phone monitoring app or software.
The Key Features To Look For In Mobile Monitoring Software:
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Legality
First and foremost, you must make sure you are using a product that’s legal in your country. That includes adhering to any National and Local Laws as well. For example, in the United States, employers who are using monitoring software can only do so on company-owned devices, and must have the written consent of their employees agreeing to such.
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Price
Depending on the size of your company and budget, you’ll need to look for a product that fits price wise. Some phone monitoring programs can go as low as a one-time payment of $29.99. Other programs can cost thousands of dollars, especially for large companies.
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Compatibility
You need to have a product that can work on your company iPhone and Android devices. When looking into these apps, it’s essential to check compatibility so you don’t waste your business’s money. Usually, the monitoring app needs to be compatible with both the device and the operating system it’s running on.
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GPS Location
If your business entails your employees to visit locations or work remotely, knowing where they are at all times is necessary. How can you know if your employee is truly working from home? Monitoring software can tell you the precise location of a cell phone instantly, usually on a Google Map.
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Social Media Activities
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat … so many social media channels! Often, employees get distracted by these platforms and waste work time browsing their personal accounts. By tracking your employees’ company owned devices, you’ll be able to see what they’re doing on social media, and if it’s productive or not.
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Call Log
Calling clients and coworkers happens every day in a business. Employers need to know who their employees are calling and when to ensure they’re using the phone for work-related purposes.
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Texting & Email History
To communicate with coworkers, clients, prospects, and leads, employees often resort to texting and emailing. All employees should be contacting work-related people in a professional manner. The only way to ensure this happens is to monitor these messages and emails.
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Skype Messaging
Communication is crucial at work, especially between coworkers. Often, companies use Skype and other professional messaging apps to quickly talk to one another. However, employees often message bad things about other employees privately, behind their back. This can lead to a toxic work environment and negatively impact the business.
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Web Browsing Activity
The internet is a great source of information, but also a source of threats. Viruses, malware, spyware, scammers, and identity thieves are just some of those online threats. You and your employees aren’t exempt from being exposed to these threats on websites, emails, and social media. By tracking all employees’ browsing activities, it will help protect your business from these threats.
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Block Apps and Websites
At work, there are always sites and apps you don’t want your employees having access to. An employer needs to have the ability to control this on a person-by-person basis. By doing this, it will help improve employee productivity by lessening distractions.
Before you decide upon an employee cell phone monitoring app, consider the information listed above. Choose the best product for your business, and one that is within budget. By monitoring your employees openly and effectively, you’re company will improve greatly and continue to grow.
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Interesting related article: “What is an Application (APP)?“