Contribution from'Antoine de Verneuil, CEO and founder of Strap
Companies must constantly find strategies to reduce their costs and improve their profitability. To do this, internal audits are conducted, allowing managers to activate several levers. Some of the most common are: outsourcing, job cuts, regulatory reform, or even comparing service providers. There's one item that may cost an average of 6% of a company's employee equipment budget each year: the mobile phone. By following 10 practical tips, businesses can effectively reduce the direct, indirect and environmental costs of mobile phones, saving about 40% annually.
1. Periodically audit the use of the mobile fleet: The number of unused and paid lines in the company represents a significant cost. Identifying idle lines or unused features allows appropriate action to be taken to eliminate unnecessary costs.
2. Renegotiating subscriptions with operators: Electronic Communications Markets Observatory 2022 The implementation of ARCEP indicates that the amount of mobile subscriptions has decreased by 50% between 2012 and 2022. Regular renegotiation of contracts with providers allows to obtain the best prices and achieve significant savings.
3. Choose no-commitment plans: Analyze usage patterns to identify underutilized subscriptions and switch to no-commitment plans to avoid unnecessary spending.
4. Negotiate bulk discounts on accessories and services: For larger fleets, purchasing accessories and services in bulk often results in favorable pricing deals.
5. Monitor hardware allocation: Employee turnover has doubled in 20 years. In 2022, the DARES study showed an average of 500,000 resignations per quarter. When an employee leaves, it's common for them to forget to pick up their smartphone and continue funding the subscription. However, creating a platform to track equipment can prevent it from being lost or stolen during an employee rotation.
6. Protect devices to reduce breakage: Breaking a smartphone can be a major cost factor. According to SquareTrade, 5,761 smartphone screens break every hour. 12% of smartphones are damaged in the first year and may require costly repairs. A cost that can be avoided by implementing preventive protection measures such as screen protectors and cases. It is also possible to obtain insurance that will mitigate the financial risks associated with a potential disaster.
7. Extend device life: The average lifespan of a smartphone is 2-3 years, but many devices can last longer with proper maintenance. To do this, it is important to implement an internal incentive policy, which encourages employees to keep their devices longer by offering them rewards or extending replacement cycles. For example, going from two to three years of ownership saves 33% on the cost of a smartphone.
8. Maintaining adequate inventory: Maintaining a stock of devices to meet unexpected needs or replace devices without incurring any delays or additional costs helps keep employees active and productive and thus the company.
9. Training employees to use devices: Providing appropriate training ensures good mastery of the use of smartphones. The hidden costs and decreased productivity associated with wasted time are thus reduced.
10. Implement recycling programs: Encourage and facilitate the recycling of old devices to reduce their environmental footprint. Currently, only 15% of phones are recycled, while 5 billion devices sit in drawers. The current impact of this point is not on the company but on the planet.
By implementing these cost-reduction strategies, companies can effectively manage their mobile fleet expenses, improve productivity and reduce their environmental impact. Taking a proactive approach to mobile fleet management can result in significant financial savings and contribute to a more sustainable business operation. By following the tips mentioned below, the total savings that can be achieved by using mobile phones in businesses is estimated at 40% on average.
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