Why You Need to Be Fluent in Mac
Mac machines aren’t just beautiful – they’re practical tools that enable teams to work quickly and efficiently in an enterprise environment. But if you’re in an environment that primarily supports Windows PC users, your team may not be familiar with the language of Apple devices. While the list of Apple apps and programs isn’t exactly a codex, it’s important that your team knows how to talk to Mac and iOS device users about their products, programs, and problems.
And the benefits of being proficient in supporting different types of operating systems isn’t just for end users. Providing better support to your Mac users can also help support larger business objectives and help your IT team members grow. Knowing how to speak Apple’s language sets up IT admins up with the skills necessary to adapt to any environment, whether or not you have an Apple device management solution in your toolbox.
Here’s why you should take the time to get familiar with the language of Mac and PC machines, especially if you’re operating in an environment with a BYOD or CYOD policy.
Apple Device Use in Enterprise Is on the Rise
Apple device use is on the rise at major corporations. Technology giants like IBM are increasingly turning to Mac computers for employees who want them. And this movement isn’t new anymore. As early as 2014, a study by Gartner indicated that PC sales were declining — 87 percent of devices shipped back 2015 were mobile phones and tablets.
As trends move toward mobile devices and an increasingly remote workforce, it follows that companies are choosing the brand that builds devices optimized for mobile use. Even if you incorporate Mac devices into your network’s Active Directory domain using existing tools, you need to know the language of Mac users and be familiar with their operating system.
Many organizations now use a mobile device management solution (MDM) for the Apple devices in their environments, which can help smooth over some of the issues associated with responding to help desk tickets from end users on Apple devices. Excellent Apple MDM solutions are designed to be straightforward for brand acolytes and non-Mac users to alike.
Learn the Lingo of Apple Device Management
One of your team’s objectives is to provide a high level of service to end users to help them do their jobs more efficiently. Part of providing this service requires the end user’s trust, and for IT teams without Apple device expertise, this may be a tough commodity to acquire.
One of the ways to demonstrate that you’re doing your research is, of course, to take the time to learn the language. Getting to know Apple’s alphabet soup isn’t just helpful for making small talk with iPhone enthusiasts—it’s a great way to start to familiarize yourself with Apple’s mobile-forward programs and the architecture behind their software updates from the outside.
Knowing the right words and where your Apple users look when they try to troubleshoot their own problems will help you locate the resources that may not be readily apparent to them. Even better, it will help you educate yourself to provide solutions directly.
Security for Your Mac Users Is Network Security for Everyone
Mac devices are known for being better architectured for security than their PC counterparts, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be familiar with the ins and outs of the security features of the Apple devices in your environment.
Forrester’s report on the economic impact of Apple devices in enterprise quoted an endpoint services director who described an all-to-familiar scenario: “People were jury-rigging their Mac workstations. There was literally no support for Mac from IT. It was a choose-your-own adventure, self-support type thing.”
Think about the situation this person is describing: there’s no oversight, no way to monitor the security of these devices, and no way to locate critical software updates. As the saying goes, you don’t know what you don’t know. And for your company, that means that unsupported Mac devices may pose a security risk.
In order to shift your team from a reactive stance to a proactive mode of operation, you’ll need to get familiar with Mac devices and the solutions available to help keep them safe. For example, if an employee leaves and takes their MacBook with them, a mobile device management solution can easily help you shore up that missing device’s data and the former employee’s access to their User ID.
You’ve Got to Know Apple to Support Apple Products
Mac users may be known as independent sleuths who love a self-service option, but they deserve the same level of IT support and expertise your team provides to the rest of the company. And your company needs your IT team to get familiar with Apple MDMs and the features this technology integrates in order to keep information secure and protected.
From onboarding to offboarding, knowing how to speak to the concerns of your Apple device users will improve your end users’ experience and your team’s day-to-day operations.
