I discussed one of these customers on the podcast, Simplifying Device Recovery: How a Fortune 100 Company Boosted Sustainability and Compliance
With approximately 35,000 employees and 19,000 mobile devices deployed worldwide, this Fortune 100 company operates on a two-year refresh cycle to maintain security standards. They rely on Omnissa’s Workspace ONEⓇ unified endpoint management (UEM) to manage data security. However, before working with Apkudo, they faced a familiar issue: an overwhelming stockpile of outdated devices with no clear visibility into which employees still had old assets.
Like many companies, employees often activate their new devices but forget to return their old ones, leaving them stashed in desk drawers. This creates inefficiencies, potential security risks, and missed opportunities for sustainability. Recognizing the need for an automated solution, our partner Omnissa identified Apkudo’s Recover solution as the ideal fit for streamlining device returns.
When seeking a solution, this company prioritized automation, integration, and sustainability. Apkudo’s Recover software seamlessly integrates with Workspace ONE, making it an easy choice for enhancing the customer’s existing processes. The software provides greater visibility into recovery rates and sustainability metrics, aligning with their corporate goals.
The implementation of the Recover software introduced:
While the integration process was smooth, every enterprise customer presents unique complexities. Through close collaboration, we worked alongside the customer to refine product enhancements that addressed their needs and benefited all Recover software customers. This adaptability strengthened the partnership and ensured the solution met evolving demands.
One significant improvement was the introduction of UEM tagging, a feature designed to improve device recovery compliance. When a return request is generated, a virtual tag is placed on the employee’s devices, applying customizable restrictions—such as disabling Face ID or affecting device compliance—until the old device is returned. This nudge encourages prompt returns without preventing employees from using their upgraded devices. Providing a practical solution to a long-standing problem, UEM tagging is expected to boost device recovery rates significantly.
Additionally, this customer sought a better way to track internal IT desk dropoffs. Previously, employees returning devices to their office help desk had to manually report their return, leading to miscommunication and lost devices.
With this new IT drop-off option, employees select an internal return option, ensuring accurate tracking within the Recover software. Other customers have quickly identified additional use cases for this new feature, such as warranty repairs and employee offboarding.
Beyond compliance, environmental impact is a key objective for this customer. Before partnering with Apkudo, they recycled old devices through a telecom provider but had minimal visibility into sustainability metrics. Moreover, they missed opportunities to resell devices on the secondary market, which would have further reduced their environmental impact while recovering the devices’ residual value.
With Apkudo’s Recover solution, they now have a consolidated device recovery process and access to detailed environmental impact data, which tracks the positive impact of device reuse, resale, and recycling.
This company has seen measurable success with smartphones in the United States (US) and is exploring further expansion. Pilot programs for laptop recovery in the US and Canada are underway, with additional mobile device return programs planned for Canada and the United Kingdom (UK). These advancements demonstrate how investing in an optimized recovery process leads to long-term benefits across multiple regions and device types.
This case study highlights an essential takeaway: innovative product enhancements often stem from solving real-world customer challenges. Apkudo continuously improves its Recover software by working closely with customers to meet immediate needs, and those improvements also benefit future customers.
Device recovery doesn’t have to be an afterthought for enterprises managing large-scale mobile deployments. With the right tools and automation, companies can improve compliance, enhance security, and drive sustainability, turning a once-overlooked process into a strategic advantage.
Is your company ready to optimize its device recovery process? Schedule a meeting to learn how the Recover solution can transform your device management strategy. Maybe I’ll have the pleasure of partnering with you and your team in the future. Listen to the podcast.
