The key mistake most organizations make with employees that bring smartphones and tablets to work is not weighing the risks and not exploring the business opportunities.

This is the first in a three-part series on a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, the challenges and solutions.  Today’s blog will cover how to start your BYOD program, followed by how your business’s IT department can step up to this challenge and finally, potential solutions you should consider.

Brian Patterson remembers a simpler time managing mobile security when he worked at the headquarters for the giant Wendy's burger chain.

As the restaurant group’s IT finance director, Patterson helped write and enforce security protocols, set up new mobile devices and installed new apps for employees that had little more than company-issued computers and BlackBerry smartphones to work with.

We were the department of “no” for a long time, he said of the lockdown policy for mobile devices at Wendy’s IT division to ensure security.

But all that changed when the Wendy’s CEO one day walked into his office with a big smile on his face and told Patterson to go out and purchase ten tablets.

He wanted five tablets for his direct-reports and five for his board members.  Patterson, today a consultant with TELUS Managed Mobility Services (MMS), powered by Vox Mobile, told a breakout session on enterprise mobile programs at the BlackBerry Innovation Forum in Toronto on March 6.

In a flash, time was no longer instructed to stand still.

Wendy’s IT department suddenly shifted from the department of “no” to becoming the department of “yes.”

And all because top executives using new remote technologies of their choice on the corporate network threatened to leave Wendy’s mobile fleet with too many portable computers, smartphones and tablets in too many places.

Now we had to come up with policies and a way to handle the new devices, Patterson added.

MOBILITY TRANSFORMED

If the above scenario raises a knowing smile, you’re not alone.

You see, these are dizzying and disorienting times for IT departments trying to manage a fast-changing mobile landscape of iPhones, iPads, and Androids to keep employees and clients productive and competitive.

Patterson spoke at length in Toronto about mobility evolving way beyond the days of a standard company-wide device, and of the implications for enterprise businesses looking to manage and secure an emerging digital Tower of Babel.

In the old days, data used to be in a segregated building, locked down on a server, and was easy to manage, he recalled.

Understand, an organization’s employees and customers, expected to be always on and connected, are today tied to corporate networks via a myriad of wireless handsets and gadgets.

And they carry a company’s IP and other trade secrets in those devices to the most unlikely places.

We have people taking data to a coffee shop, to a grocery store, to the beach.  We never intended to take our laptop computer or other mobile devices to the gym, but we do, Patterson said.

BRING-YOUR-OWN-DEVICE

The challenge for IT departments is grappling with the bring-your-own-device trend, or BYOD, where employees and clients bring personal smartphones and tablets not owned or controlled by a company into the workplace and onto the corporate network.

It’s great for productivity, as employees do their job more efficiently, at their desk, on the road or during a commute, using mobile devices to run evermore powerful applications.

Patterson insists IT departments should not see supporting and securing worker-owned smartphones and tablets in the workplace as mission impossible.

The promise of TELUS and Vox Mobile and other top-tier Managed Mobility Services (MMS) providers he continued, is embracing workplace change while minimizing security risks.

Patterson explained IT departments and their organizations need to put in place effective and secure mobility policies and programs.

Companies realize people want to bring their own devices to work and they want to be connected. But companies don’t know how to manage a mobility program, what it entails, it’s risks and opportunities, and that’s why they’re calling us and asking for help developing a BYOD program, Patterson said of the disconnect between worker-owned devices and a company’s ability to support and secure them.

The bottom line is there’s nothing tougher for IT departments dealing with ever-changing technological tools than to know different corporate users have different mobility needs and wants, and meeting them.

In the second part of our investigation into enterprise mobility programs, TELUS Talks Business will explain why IT departments shouldn’t despair.

Solutions from the mobility management gods are at hand.

Are your employees starting to bring their own devices to work?  Do you see a need to implement your own BYOD program but are unsure where to start?

If you've ever lost a smartphone, you're well aware that the cost to replace the hardware should be the least of your worries. The data that resides on the smartphone -- including potentially sensitive company information -- isn’t something you want falling into the wrong hands.

Locking a smartphone with a password isn't enough. To really secure phones, many manufacturers and third-party software developers are offering ways to remotely wipe the data from a lost or stolen smartphone.

Or you can see it on a map to retrieve it – though if it's stolen, you should give the information to the authorities rather you trying to handle it yourself.

Here’s what you need if you’re using an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows Phone 7 device.

iPhone

Find My iPhone (apple.ca) is a free service for iPhone 4 and iPad owners, and is part of the $109/year MobileMe package for iPhone 3G and 3GS users (soon to be replaced with iCloud).

First, register your iPhone by visiting Me.com or by using the free Find My iPhone app. If your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can log in to the website (or on the app through another iOS device) to remotely wipe the iPhone’s data, if desired.

Alternatively, you can have it ring loudly, even if the device was on mute (in case, say, you left it under a pile of clothes), type a text message that appears on the iPhone's screen (e.g. "Please call me if found: 604-555-1212") or you might want to locate the phone on a map using the device's A-GPS radio ("assisted" global positioning service technology, which also uses cellular connectivity along with satellites that hover above the earth).

BlackBerry

Similar to Find My iPhone, BlackBerry owners can download the free BlackBerry Protect (BlackBerry.com) app to sign up for the service.

If your BlackBerry is missing in action, you can log in to a protected website to see the smartphone on a map and remotely scrub its data, so no one can access it. As a proactive measure, BlackBerry Protect – as its name suggests – also lets you wirelessly back-up your contacts, text messages, calendar and bookmarks; this is all done automatically after you choose how often you'd like to back up your data: daily, weekly or monthly.

BlackBerry Protect also works on multiple BlackBerry smartphones your family or business might have.

There are also a few free third-party tools available, too, such as SmrtGuard and BuddyGuard Pro.

Android

Google’s popular operating system doesn’t have its own remote-wipe service, but there are multiple ways to remotely wipe it should your Android become lost or stolen.

If you’re running the free Google Latitude, for instance, you can always check your smartphone’s location online, but you can’t remotely wipe its data. For that capability, look for a third-party app such as Mobile Defense or McAfee WaveSecure.

Windows Phone 7

As with Android, Microsoft does not offer an in-house solution for remotely locating or wiping data from lost or stolen smartphones.

But if you own a Windows Phone 7-powered device, you can download apps like McAfee WaveSecure (see above) which is free to try but $20/year to buy.

A tool called Windows Live for Mobile will soon support wireless back-up, remote wipe and map tracking, as well.

Marc Saltzman is one of North America's most recognized and trusted technology experts. Based in Toronto, Marc currently contributes to nearly 50 publications, has authored 14 books and is the host of CTV News Channel's "Tech Talk," CNN's "Tech Time" and Cineplex's "Gear Guide" (seen in movie theatres across Canada).

While a casual observer might think smartphone software is limited to Angry Birds and Facebook, there are many thousands of productivity-related applications ("apps") to enhance efficiency and remain connected while on the go.

In fact, regardless of your smartphone platform of choice – such as BlackBerry, iPhone, Android or Windows Phone 7 – each of the major players have online stores that let you wirelessly download work-related apps directly to the device, many of which are for free, allowing you to customize the phone in a number of ways.

We've covered quite a few of these productivity smartphone apps in this column, so consider the following a spring refresher of sorts -- a consolidated look at a seven of our favourite picks that can help commuters, mobile professionals and business travelers alike.

Note-worthy

Whether you're hit with inspiration and need to get the ideas down or you simply need to work on a proposal, report or sketches when you've got five minutes here and there, a free app like Evernote is a must-have for users for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, Windows or Nokia devices. This free app lets you create, view, organize, search and share your ideas – sort of like a digital version of yellow sticky notes, if you will -- but also with the option to include voice notes, photos and videos, too, if desired. An auto-sync feature means your notes are automatically saved and accessible on other Evernote platforms, such as the web or your personal computer. A $5/month premium version adds many extra bells and whistles.

Just say it

iPhone users who fumble over the smartphone's virtual keyboard can probably get a lot more words down on the screen by simply speaking them. From Nuance, the makers of Dragon Naturally Speaking on computers, the free Dragon Dictationapp is an incredibly fast and accurate voice-to-text solution. No laborious set-up or training is required for the software to transcribe your words into text before your eyes – perfect for composing lengthy emails, talking through a rough draft of a company press release or conducting interviews you can't be bothered to transcribe manually. Once your words are down, you instantly tweak if need be (by fixing the odd word here and there) before sending it to email, text, Facebook or Twitter or copying the text to another app.

Travel talk

Parlez-vous Français? Sprechen sie Deutsch? Traveling businesspersons often find themselves in a city with a local language different than their native tongue. For this reason, Sonico GmbH's free iTranslatefor iPhone is a handy app as it can translate words, phrases and sentences to and from more than 50 languages, on the fly. Once the translation is complete, you can save, copy or share the words via email, text message, Facebook or Twitter. Optional in-app purchases can transcribe text to speech – in 16 different languages. BlackBerry and Android users can use other free language translators, including Navita Translator and Google Translation, respectively.

Speak to me

Don't want to miss an important email while walking the streets, sipping a coffee in an airport lounge or while behind the wheel? Available for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile, iSpeech.Org's DriveSafe.ly(free for personal use) can read your incoming emails and text messages to you through the smartphone's speakers, via earphones or a Bluetooth headset. If you like, the sender also gets an automated reply to confirm the message has been received (and that you'll reply when you can). The free version reads the first 25 words of the message, but upgrading to the pro version ($30) gives you the first 500 words of a message, and other options.

Get the message

One of the most-used apps among BlackBerry users is Research in Motion's own BlackBerry Messenger(free), which lets you send and receive secure messages with others in real-time. It's fast, cheap and reliable. As a handy feature, the sent message will show a small "D" beside it to confirm the note has been delivered and an "R" when it's been read. Plus, you can engage in multi-person chats with colleagues, broadcast a message to a select group and send voice notes and other media files. iPhone and Android smartphone owners, on the other hand, might opt for free apps -- like What's App, PingChat or textPlus-- which also let you engage in real-time text chats with others, regardless of their smartphone platform.

Pass the remote

Ever left the home office and realized you needed an important email, document or other file on your computer? Rather than asking someone to email you the file, simply install the free TeamViewer software on your PC, Mac or Linux machine, and then download the free app for your iPhone or Android device. Now you can remotely log into your computer, via a secure password, and see (and control) your computer as if you were right in front of it. This remote access solution is also ideal when training someone as you're controlling their mouse from afar, as they watch and learn. TeamViewer is a free download for non-corporate use.

Google me this

Finally, while Google Maps is a convenient tool on multiple smartphone platforms, Android users get a much beefier product with Google Maps Navigation (beta), a free GPS navigation solution that not only provides visual turn-by-turn directions to a destination (with overhead or down-on-the-ground views of streets all over the world), but for drivers it includes audio-based instructions so you can keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. You can also search for local businesses, see "Street View" images with real photography, search by voice, and much more. It's a must-have app for Android owners.

Marc Saltzman is one of North America's most recognized and trusted technology experts. Based in Toronto, Marc currently contributes to nearly 50 publications, has authored 14 books and is the host of CTV News Channel's "Tech Talk," CNN's "Tech Time" and Cineplex's "Gear Guide" (seen in movie theatres across Canada).

Are there productivity apps you've discovered that you can't live without? Share them by leaving a comment here at TELUS Talks Business.

Given the speed at which business operates today, there isn't much time left for mundane tasks, such as printing documents or emails, or in some industries, photos (by real estate agents and insurance adjustors, for example).

Complicating matters is the fact small-to-midsized businesses workers are relying heavily on smartphones as a productivity tool and may not be spending much time in the office, too.

Fortunately, there are a handful of software applications ("apps") for smartphones that can make printing a much easier process for on-the-go types, along with new printers with advanced wireless functionality and integrated apps themselves.

Wi-Fi a must

One of the prerequisites for printing over a wireless network is a Wi-Fi-enabled printer – unless, of course, you're using Bluetooth technology to send print jobs from your smartphone. Bluetooth printers aren't as common as Wi-Fi-enabled ones, though, and you need to be somewhat near the printer for it to work.

All the major inkjet and laser printer manufacturers – such as HP, Canon, Epson, Lexmark, Kodak and Brother, to name a few – now have their own downloadable apps you can install on your smartphone that let you print wirelessly to compatible printers and all-in-one machines.

In most cases, they're free to download and use, though there are exceptions, such as the powerful PrintJinni for Epson($6.99), which supports the wireless printing of common files including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and JPEG photos -- to any Wi-Fi-enabled Epson printer.

The iPhone is currently the most supported platform for printing apps at this time, but there are many for BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone 7, too.

Remote Printfor BlackBerry ($4.99), for example, lets you wirelessly print almost any file from your smartphone, including emails, photos, PDF, Microsoft Office files (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), contacts, memos, and more. Unlike PrintJinni, this app supports multiple printers, which you first configure in the Windows version of the software (Macs aren't currently supported). Send 2 Printer(free) for Google's Android smartphones, on the other hand, lets you print to network printers from the likes of HP, Brother, Canon and Lexmark -- and no computer is required at all.

Regardless of which printer app you download and use for business or pleasure, make sure the app supports text printing and not just photo printing, as the latter is a more common find on the various app stores.

Get out and stay out

Not only can apps let you print while in a wireless network, but there are solutions for you print anywhere business takes you.

For example, with PrinterShare Premium($4.99) for iPhone or Android, you can print from your smartphone to anywhere in the world – be it beaming PDFs to the office while in Hong Kong or photos of the kids to home from an island in the Caribbean. You can also print locally over a wireless network. For remote printing over the Internet, you need to install PrinterShare software on a computer and register with the company.

Alternatively, the new HP Photosmart e-All-in-One ($129) isn't just a printer, scanner and copier, but it's the first web-enabled printer that lets you print documents or photos from any computer or smartphone in the world. For example, while commuting to work, with the push of a button or click of a mouse, any desired emails or documents will be printed out by the time you step in the office door. Or imagine giving this printer to a less-than-tech-savvy relative and then sending pictures of the kids or grandkids to the printer – even while still on vacation.

This printer works via email, therefore you'll get a free email address with the purchase of the printer, and as long as the printer is joined to a wireless network you can send emails from the smartphone or computer and the document or photo starts to print about 15 to 20 seconds later.

New wireless all-in-one-printers, such as the HP Photosmart e-All-in-One and Lexmark's feature-rich Pinnacleprinter ($299.99) also support customizable apps on the printer itself -- accessed via a touchscreen LCD on the front of the unit – but these apps are primarily geared towards consumers at this point. For example, users can print daily Sudoku puzzles, newspaper articles, colouring pages for the kids, recipe cards, sheet music, and much more. But expect more business apps to surface over the following months and years.

Marc Saltzman is one of North America's most recognized and trusted technology experts. Based in Toronto, Marc currently contributes to nearly 50 publications, has authored 14 books and is the host of CTV News Channel's "Tech Talk," CNN's "Tech Time" and Cineplex's "Gear Guide" (seen in movie theatres across Canada).