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BRING YOUR OWN These new cell-phone capabilities mean higher monthly bills. Cap the damage by letting employees use their own phones for dealing with customers, then reimburse them for business usage. This trend, sometimes referred to as "Bring Your Own Device," or BYOD, is on the increase. A recent report from Cisco states that 95% of organizations now allow employees to use their own devices for work calls. The trend has distinct attractions, says Mary Landesman, senior security researcher at Cloudmark (cloudmark.com), a San Francisco-based maker of antispam software. "BYOD can be cheaper for a business. The employee buys the device, so there are cost savings. And a consumer can often get a better deal in terms of data and voice plans." And many employees applaud the trend. "With the advent of smartphones, employees want to access everything from one device," says Landesman. That means personal as well as business contacts and information. "People are always connected, so swapping phones would be awkward and people want communication to be as seamless as possible." KEEP CONTROL Yet, there are downsides to BYOD. One is the potential loss of control over customer lists. It stands to reason that customers will become accustomed to calling phone numbers associated with the employees' devices. What happens when employees leave, perhaps to work for the competition? Customers may well go with them. "There is always a risk that employees will take their phonebased contact lists with them when they leave the company," says Landesman. "However, these issues can be addressed through corporate policies and employment-agreement clauses." And while it's true that clients and customers will be in the habit of calling employees' numbers, sometimes that's the price for getting the best people, points out Landesman. "Sometimes you bring people in because they have great contacts, so when they leave they may take contacts with them. You're not going to hire good people and keep them in a box." Also, regardless of who owns the phone, it contains customer lists and business data. "Businesses should develop policies that detail the specific steps to follow if a phone is lost or stolen," says Landesman. "This can involve an immediate remote wipe, as well as a report to management detailing whether any sensitive information was placed at risk." In the future, more businesses will using cloud-based services where all data is stored in a distant computer maintained by a third party, then accessed as needed by employee phones. Such services may make it easier to lock down an account, but it's not guaranteed. This is something to plan for and—in the event of a lost or stolen device—use where available. Over 60 years in the Professional Beauty Industry Over 200 styles of Professional Hair Brushes. www.spornette.com 48 November 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com DO YOUR RESEARCH Security of business data is a primary driver for resisting the BYOD trend. Many business owners opt for company-owned devices and calling plans. If you go that route, you can also take steps to save money. Carriers offer a selection of plans based upon your anticipated monthly usage of voice and data. While picking the wrong plan can be costly, it's too easy to go month-to-month without paying attention to the invoice line items. "Before selecting a plan you will want to estimate how many minutes you will be using for voice calls, how many text messages you will be sending and receiving, and how much data you will be transferring," says Tom Phelps, president of HPA Consulting Group (hpagroup.com) in Rochester, New York. "Keep in mind that carriers love to charge high rates for overages. It's best to keep an eye on your usage every month and increase the caps if you are getting close to your limits."