What IT Executives Need to Know About Enterprise Text Messaging
Enterprise text messaging solutions are a godsend for organizations that rely on communication and collaboration to drive efficiency, productivity and business improvement. In addition to streamlining internal and external communication channels, the best secure enterprise messaging technologies significantly improve data security and compliance with regulatory requirements.
But for IT leaders, robust enterprise messaging technologies offer something more than reliability and industry compliance: administrative control. By understanding how enterprise text messaging solutions improve control, IT leaders and decision makers can begin to create a messaging platform that is truly capable of meeting the challenges of today’s enterprise.
The Control Deficit and Enterprise Text Messaging
Messaging technology has quickly entered the mainstream of enterprise workflows – and for good reason. According to a 2015 study by Infinite Convergence, 90 percent of all incoming SMS messages are read within 15 minutes. The immediacy of text messages (typically delivered on employees’ owned devices) enables workers to stay connected and keep up with the fast pace of the enterprise workplace.
But the increased use of messaging has also introduced new risks to the enterprise. More than two-thirds of employees currently use third-party messaging apps for work purposes. Although consumer messaging apps are fine for personal use, they create serious security concerns. Just as importantly, third-party messaging apps make it extremely difficult – if not impossible – for IT to exert a proper level of control over the organization’s communications technology.
How Enterprise Text Messaging Improves Control for IT
Enterprise text messaging platforms mitigate the risks posed by third-party messaging apps and give IT departments the administrative controls they need to manage the distribution of information across the enterprise.
Specifically, secure enterprise messaging technology empowers IT managers to regain control in at least three critical areas:
- Platform-level Controls - At the platform level, enterprise text messaging services give IT the ability to effectively manage the messaging activities of all users in the organization. From policy administration and enforcement to custom configurations for corporate data retention and compliance, IT teams gain a level of control that isn’t available when employees engage in the ad hoc use of consumer messaging apps. The best enterprise messaging platforms also offer a range of real-time tracking and reporting tools that give IT total visibility to the organization’s messaging activities.
- App-level Controls - App-level controls give IT teams administrative tools to manage user activities. Cloud-based enterprise messaging technologies are optimal because they allow IT managers to monitor accounts, grant temporary guest access, remotely wipe data and perform other functions from a single, centralized repository.
- Security Controls - Security-based controls align platform capabilities with the organization’s security requirements – a critical feature for companies operating in highly regulated industries like healthcare and finance. In addition to advanced encryption, security controls put IT back in charge of the ways users can share files, access conversations and use multiple devices for workplace messaging.
Enterprise Text Messaging With NetSfere
NetSfere gives IT managers the tools to regain control over their organizations’ messaging activities. Designed from the ground up for enterprise organizations, NetSfere is the leading enterprise text messaging service for organizations in healthcare, finance and other industries.
To learn more about the importance of administrative controls in enterprise messaging, download our white paper, Taking Control: How Secure Enterprise Messaging Puts Enterprise IT Back in Charge or contact us today to discover how NetSfere can benefit your organization.
