Today, employees want to work flexibly: at the office, at home, on the road or at customer sites. Their smartphone, tablet or laptop is an essential part of their working day. For a long time, BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device, seemed like the logical solution. Yet more and more organizations are noticing that BYOD also comes with challenges.

Think of security, privacy, updates, compatibility, support, mobile subscriptions and company data management. That is why businesses are increasingly choosing CYOD: Choose Your Own Device. CYOD combines freedom of choice for employees with more control for the organization.

What is CYOD?

CYOD stands for Choose Your Own Device. In this model, an employee chooses a device from a pre-approved selection. This could include Samsung smartphones for businesses or other business devices that fit the organization’s budget, security requirements and mobile policy.

For businesses, CYOD is a strong alternative to BYOD. You give employees a say in their device choice, while keeping control over configuration, security, support, subscriptions and device management.

What is the difference between BYOD and CYOD?

BYOD is often quick to get started, but less scalable. CYOD is more structured and better suited to organizations that want to professionalize their smartphone policy.

5 Reasons to Switch from BYOD to CYOD

1. More control over company data

With BYOD, professional applications and company data are stored on private devices. This can create risks when a device is lost, stolen or no longer properly secured. With CYOD, devices can be securely configured in advance and centrally managed.

2. Better security and compliance

Every device with access to email, business applications or customer data is a potential gateway into your organization. With CYOD, you work with devices that meet your company’s security requirements.

• Pre-approved devices for professional use
• Centralized security settings and clear policies
• Better protection of company data and customer information
• Easier management of updates, apps and access rights

3. Less complexity for IT

A BYOD environment can become fragmented due to different brands, operating systems, software versions and settings. For IT teams, this means more exceptions, more questions and more lost time. CYOD brings standardization without fully removing freedom of choice.

4. Greater ease of use for employees

CYOD does not mean employees no longer have a choice. On the contrary: they choose a device that fits their preferences and way of working, within a range that is technically secure and aligned with the organization.

5. A future-proof device policy

Technology evolves quickly. New applications, stricter security requirements and hybrid ways of working require a device policy that can evolve with them. With CYOD, you keep an overview and can periodically renew devices.

MDM and Samsung Knox within a CYOD approach

A strong CYOD policy is often combined with an MDM solution. MDM stands for Mobile Device Management and helps organizations centrally manage mobile devices. This includes installing apps, configuring settings, protecting company data and managing access rights.

For organizations using Samsung smartphones, Samsung Knox can play an important role. Samsung Knox offers additional capabilities for security, configuration and management, allowing devices to be used professionally and securely within the organization.

How does Essec support organizations with CYOD?

A successful CYOD policy goes beyond simply choosing a smartphone. Organizations also need to think about security, mobile subscriptions, device management, support and clear agreements for employees.

Essec supports organizations in developing a future-proof smartphone policy. This includes device selection, company phones for employees, mobile subscriptions, MDM, Samsung Knox, mobile policy and follow-up through the Essec Focus Center.

1. Analysis of the current situationWe clearly map devices, subscriptions, needs and internal processes.
2. Advice on device selection and policyWe help define a feasible CYOD offering that fits IT, HR, Finance and employees.
3. Management and follow-upThrough the Essec Focus Center, follow-up becomes easier, more transparent and less time-consuming.
4. Support and optimizationWe continue to support questions, changes, subscriptions and future expansions.

Customer story: P&V Group on the Essec Focus Center

Testimonial

P&V Group

“By using the Essec Focus Center, we gain faster insight into the mobile devices and Proximus subscriptions within our organization, P&V Group. Our internal IT department, just like HR and Finance, is relieved of follow-up and internal communication, as this process is now fully automated.”

From BYOD to CYOD: a logical next step

BYOD has helped many organizations work more flexibly. But as company data, cybersecurity and digital collaboration become more important, the need for more structure grows as well. CYOD offers a strong alternative.

You keep freedom of choice for employees, while gaining more control over devices, security, support and subscriptions as an organization. This makes CYOD interesting for small, medium-sized and large organizations in Belgium that want to organize their mobile operations professionally.

Frequently asked questions about CYOD