While selecting a secure text messaging app to promote communication and collaboration in your organization, it is essential to find a system that pools the ease of consumer messaging apps with the reliability and security of enterprise communication technology.
In a research performed by Infinite Convergence on employees, about 87 percent of the participants agreed that third-party texting apps are not completely secure to share confidential information. Security being the top concern for employees and businesses, effective enterprise communication pivots on selecting a secure text messaging app that facilitates device-to-device communication with a secure and feature-rich platform. In this article, I am presenting six criteria to select a secure messaging solution for an organization. Read on after the break.
Criteria to Select a Secure Text Messaging Solution
Competition between secure messaging service providers has increased these days, as many companies contest for market share. There is a huge hype, hence it is important to begin your procurement process using some principles that will enable you to take a smart decision. Here are some key selection criteria that help assess an enterprise-level secure messaging solution:
1. Device-To-Device Encryption
Ensure that message communications are encrypted while broadcasting to secure information as it travels from client to the server. Conventional text messaging and SMS are not usually encrypted during the broadcast; this the reason why businesses are adopting secure text messaging apps. When assessing message encryption features, keep in mind that encryption technology differs from provider to provider. As a best practice, go for 256-bit encryption.
2. Availability of Administrative Controls
Managing your secure text messaging must be just be as simple as managing an email server. While evaluating a secure messaging solution, ensure that IT managers have complete control over end-user policies. For instance, you must ensure that the IT team can administer what business data can employees share using the application.
3. Remote Deletion Of Sensitive Data
People join and leave the organization, and sometimes it is not possible to access their mobiles once they leave the organization. In some cases, the mobile device may be lost or stolen. In such situations, it is very important that you have the access to remotely wipe confidential data and deactivate the accounts.
4. Control Over Message lifetime
An ideal secure messaging app will permit messages to be deleted automatically when the lifetime defined to them gets expired. This feature is technically called ‘self-destructing messages’ which take security to the next level.
5. Sync & Compatibility
Whether it is an Apple iPhone, Android phone, Windows Phone, a laptop, a tablet device or a desktop computer. You must be able to use the application on the device you want to use, without compromising on security. Also, as you switch from device to device, the conversations and messages must sync automatically so that you can access your messages from any device.
6. Maturity Level Of Technology
New code tends to have issues. Ensure that the secure messaging solution you are using is battle-tested. Sometimes, you will have to probe to identify this information. For instance, though U&Me Plus is relatively new service in the field of secure messaging, sophisticated technology used by the parent company made it globally acceptable. Check if the secure messaging provider you are assessing have this kind of track record.
The criteria to procure an enterprise mobility solution is not just limited to these 6 principles. But these 6 principles provide a roadmap to choosing a robust and reliable workplace communication platform. You can also consider other criteria such as user-friendliness of the application as it plays a critical role in facilitating early adoption of enterprise mobility solution. Furthermore, the application should be feature-rich and accommodate the needs of a 21st-century organization in terms of sophistication and usability.
Please feel free to share information about the messaging solution you use at your organization in the comments below, as well as how it helped you to securely communicate across teams and improved collaboration.