According to a recent Computerworld report, roughly 1 out of every 4 US enterprises use Apple devices at the workplace.
If your company, regardless of size or industry, uses Apple devices for business purposes, it is imperative you register them under an Apple Business Management Agreement. This includes ALL Apple devices (iMacs, iPads, iPhones, etc.) purchased by the business for employee use. It excludes employee-owned devices brought from home to the office for work.
An Apple Business Management Agreement (BMA) permits a company to participate in Apple Business Manager, which allows you to automate enrollment of Apple-branded devices for Mobile Device Management (MDM) within your company, to purchase and manage content for such devices, to create Managed Apple IDs for your users, and to access facilitation tools.
Protection Against Lockdowns
At The Solutions Team, we have seen cases where an employee (user) workplace Apple device is signed in and registered under their individual iCloud account - and then the employee (user) leaves the company. This can trigger an activation lock on the device. This creates a problem, particularly if the employee left the company on bad terms or a sour note. They may not be willing to help their former employer unlock the device – leaving it useless.
Next Steps
An employer’s office manager can sign up at any time. They will need the business’ DUNS number, and an executive level ‘decision maker’ for the company will need to be on-hand to answer a phone call from Apple to verify everything. Only one Apple BMA account is required per business – and the sign-up is free of charge.
Once sign-up is complete, you will purchase all future Apple devices from Apple directly or an authorized reseller. At the point of sale, you will need to provide the seller with your Apple Business Manger account number so the devices and volume apps can be added – and any extra devices purchased from an authorized reseller since 2011 may be retro-actively added.
Apple is one of the most successful companies in the world because they have been making fantastic, long-lasting products for both personal and business use for many years. If you have not already done so, take a few minutes and register them under an Apple BMA. It’s a no-cost, no-brainer opportunity to protect and optimize your IT investment.
For more information on registering your company’s Apple devices under an Apple BMA, contact The Solutions Team at info@mysolutionsteam.com.
