What to ask an MDM vendor before a pilot

Use the pilot to test claims, not to admire the dashboard

A pilot is short and every vendor looks good in a demo. The point is to turn their claims into things you can try with your own devices. Write down the questions below, ask them before you sign anything and agree on the tests that will answer them.

Enforcement and tampering

• Does the product run as the Android device owner or as a normal app with permissions?
• What exactly can a user do to remove it, disable it or reset the device?
• Which settings can be locked: factory reset, safe mode, developer options, VPN, accounts, date and time?
• What happens after a reset? Is the device recoverable only by the organisation?
• How is tampering reported, and to whom, and how fast?
• Are policies signed so the device rejects altered ones?

Devices and setup

• Which Android versions and device makers are supported?
• Can we use devices we already own? What does the one-time setup involve?
• How are new device models handled?
• What is the enrolment method, and how many steps per device?
• Do any features need a SIM, or do Wi-Fi-only tablets work?

Structure, roles and records

• Can the system mirror our organisation, with branches and groups?
• Which roles exist, and can a teacher or manager change only their own group?
• Is there an audit log, and who can see it?
• Can we preview the impact of a change before it reaches devices?
• How are devices replaced, moved or retired, and what happens to the licence seat?

Data, privacy and the law

Be wary of any vendor who says their product makes you compliant with a specific law. Compliance depends on how you use it, and that is general information, not legal advice. Skie, for example, stores data in an India region (Mumbai), does not read messages, has no hidden mode and leaves the notices to the organisation.

• Where is our data stored, and in which country?
• Does the product read messages, call logs or anything private, and is there a hidden mode?
• How is location handled, and what consent do we need to collect?
• What can we export, and how do we delete data when we leave?

What is not built yet

The best question a buyer can ask is 'what can't it do?'. A vendor who answers plainly is easier to trust. For Skie, today's honest list includes per-app time limits, screen time reports, per-website allow or block lists, an API, SSO, email alerts, white labelling and iOS. The team is working on several of them, with no dates promised. Ask every vendor for the same list and compare.

Pricing, support and exit

• What is the unit: device, seat or user? See MDM pricing models explained
• What does the pilot cost, and how does it convert to a contract?
• What are the support hours and how are issues escalated?
• How do we remove management from a device cleanly if we leave?
• Is there a minimum term or device count?

Design the pilot tests

Pick ten to thirty devices across two groups, include at least two device models and two roles, and test a rule change, a lost-device drill, a replacement, an offline day and an attempted reset. How to choose an MDM has a scoring approach you can reuse.

Frequently asked questions