What Is Remote Device Management? A Guide for Small Businesses
What Is Remote Device Management? A Guide for SMBs
The shift towards remote and hybrid working models has created new hurdles for IT teams. Employees are younger and more tech-savvy than in previous eras. And devices are more user friendly and easier to learn than in decades past.
But they’re also more portable and more connected to the wider world than they used to be, which creates real security risks. The good news: IT teams spend less time showing staff how to use shared drives and set up “out of office” notifications. But the bad news: corporate devices are traveling all over the world, and it’s harder than ever to keep them safe and secure.
Unless you have good remote device management software. Purpose-built services now do everything from delivering a device to updating security packages, from wherever you are to wherever that device happens to be. They’re a lifesaver for busy SMBs. And arguably a must-have in your tech stack. Let’s start by examining exactly what we’re talking about.
What is remote device management (RDM)?
Remote device management is the practice of monitoring, configuring, and securing devices from a central location. With high-level RDM in place, you can distribute, control, update, and recall employee computers wherever they are, from wherever you are. This includes the ability to lock devices, change passwords, update software, and edit user permissions. This is particularly useful in today’s hybrid working conditions. Many (if not most) companies now have distributed teams, with employees in different cities and countries from the head office.
As employees increasingly work from home several days a week, it’s crucial to be able to provide IT support and troubleshoot issues without physical access to devices.
What does RDM involve?
Remote device management is the broad term for everything you need to manage devices from afar. Tangibly, this includes:
- Create, adjust, and remove user permissions and profiles
- Update software and perform security scans
- Monitor device performance and identify issues slowing systems down
- Gain admin access remotely, to take over and “drive” the device from anywhere
Remote device management is both a practice and a software category. The above capabilities are possible when you choose the right remote management software suite, which we’ll explore further shortly.
RDM vs MDM
While the names are similar and the differences can be confusing, these two terms aren’t synonyms. RDM is the umbrella term for the practice of managing devices remotely, and MDM is the software that makes this possible. Mobile device management (MDM) is a staple tool within your broader remote device management strategy. It’s the technology that lets you manage, secure, and monitor devices from a central platform.
MDM is arguably the most important tool in your remote management suite.
Key IT challenges for remote-friendly companies
Without help, most SMBs struggle to manage their remote devices. Here are the most common issues companies face in these circumstances.
Distributing devices
Before you can even worry about monitoring and managing remote devices, you need to get them into the hands of end users. This is relatively simple if employees will be at headquarters for their first few days of onboarding, but more challenging when they’re in another city or country.
Ideally, you want to deliver pre-configured devices to employees wherever they are. On time, in the right location—their house or a satellite office—with a clear Plan B if there are any issues.
And vitally, you’ll do this without distracting your IT staff or office managers with these logistical tasks.
Tracking their whereabouts
Device management was easier when everyone had their cubicle workstation, all with the same computer, keyboard, and landline. Today, you have distributed teams working from anywhere, often with completely bespoke IT setups.
You need to know who has which devices, where they are, and have a simple (ideally automated) way to update your records when items change hands.
Plus, with more laptops and phones traveling around the world, the risk of loss or theft is also higher. So you also need a way to report stolen items and trace their specific whereabouts.
Updating software and fixing bugs
Another challenge with remote teams is repairing and updating devices when necessary. In an office, team members can bring their slow or damaged devices to the IT desk for quick diagnosis. This clearly doesn’t work the same while remote.
But you can (and should) have remote access tools that let administrators log in and take control from anywhere. These lets you roll out security updates and patches, and see what employees see when they complain about issues.
Retrieving and replacing devices
Just like getting devices to employees can be a challenge, replacing or retrieving them is equally difficult. Whether you’re upgrading a model, delivering a temporary replacement, or offboarding a remote employee, you need to be able to get devices back efficiently from anywhere.
You also need to be able to lock and wipe devices remotely, including all user profiles and passwords. A stolen phone or laptop can give hackers access to the backend of your products, user databases or your own financial data.
It’s a serious risk to send devices out into the world without knowing that you can first wipe, and then retrieve them, no matter where they are.
Giving employees flexibility
Most employees—but particularly younger generations—have their preferred device models and operating systems. Modern companies should be able to offer employees their choice, within reason.
But this adds to your logistical challenges. You may need different suppliers for Apple and Android devices, for example. And if the user needs operating systems installed, that’s more work for the IT team to prepare.
Even simple things like giving an English-native user a QWERTY keyboard versus an AZERTY for a French writer is easily overlooked.
Managing remote IT efficiently
Done manually, all of the above takes time and energy from your IT or office managers. They absolutely should not have to know the ins and outs of local deliveries in other countries, and they shouldn’t have to manage tech supply chains.
The ideal outcome is to automate most—if not all—of the work required. You shouldn’t have to manually update spreadsheets to track items, or install software on laptops one by one.
And this is where some remote device management providers fall short. If they’re focused purely on access, you’re only solving a portion of your challenges.
How to set up remote device management
The RDM process requires a suite of good software to operate effectively. So as you shop around potential providers, here are some of the keys to look for. Let’s start with tangible software or tools:
- MDM or unified endpoint management (UEM) software. Key functions include the ability to enforce security policies, manage apps, configure devices, update software, and track any device’s status. You should also be able to lock and/or wipe a device when items get lost or stolen, or for fast offboarding.
- Remote access tools. These let you view and control a device as a user from anywhere. They’re crucial for troubleshooting and support for remote devices.
- Endpoint security. You should be able to automatically deploy antivirus and malware updates for all devices.
- Device monitoring. You also need to be able to check device (and network) performance from anywhere, to see why devices might be running slowly.
On top of these core tools, any modern remote device management provider will also be able to offer the following specifics:
- Remote locking and factory reset.
- User and permission management. Add new device users, remove leaving staff, and change levels of access to certain tools. Again, all of this remotely.
- Find my device. Expect a handful of devices falling out of pockets or being left on public transport, as well as actual theft. So you need to be able to track the location of devices through services like Apple’s Find My, or through your remote management system.
Of course, you want to do this in a non-invasive, non-creepy way, and only when really necessary. You will doubtless have other key considerations to negotiate with prospective providers. And crucially, there’s more to managing remote IT than gaining access to and controlling devices.
How to upgrade the typical remote device management system
RDM gives you full access and control over remote devices. But you should really think of the entire system of providing and maintaining staff devices:
- Purchasing, leasing, or sourcing a device for a team member
- Creating accounts, downloading tools, and preparing the device for use
- Distributing devices to team members wherever they are
- Monitoring performance and troubleshooting issues
- Maintaining security standards and being able to lock down accounts in seconds (if necessary)
- Retrieving devices when employees leave or have otherwise finished with them
All of these points make up the holistic device management process for remote teams. It’s essentially RDM 2.0—a full IT system for busy remote teams. On top of the key access features that good RDM tools provide (above), make sure your provider can also offer the following:
- Pre-configured software setup. The best services will send devices out to employees with the software already set up. This means your IT desk doesn’t need to manually do the work, which adds time and can create delays in getting devices out to new staff.
- International support. Probably obvious, but make sure your RDM provider is available and experienced in each of the countries you need to manage. They should be able to handle distribution and collection locally, and provide technical assistance to remote teams if required.
- Scalability. Efficiency becomes increasingly important as your company grows and adds more remote staff. Whether you have 50 employees or 300, your remote management system should be just as easy to work with. Add or remove employees with a click, track all devices in one place, and avoid any manual effort that would quickly become unscalable.
- Customizable equipment. This is one of the factors that differentiates dedicated device management from a simple leasing service. You shouldn’t be limited to a specific package for each employee, with the same narrow range of devices. If employee freedom is important to you, they should get the exact equipment they need to perform at their best.
On top of giving you more security and keeping your records up to date, you want to remove manual admin work and get new team members onboarded quickly. This exact model is saving real time and money for growing companies today.
Manage all company hardware and software from anywhere
Hybrid work and remote staff are reshaping company IT. Device management is now both crucial and more complex, even if the devices themselves are more commonplace.
Remote, flexible work is critical to find the best talent and let employees do their best work. But as you welcome remote employees—sometimes internationally—you encounter new logistical challenges. Plus the added security and financial concerns.
Your best option for peace of mind and operational efficiency is a remote device management system that handles the entire process: from onboarding to offboarding, with everything in between.
A service like Primo is:
- Cheaper than leasing;
- Faster and easier to manage than outsourced IT; and
- Better suited to your needs than a generic managed service provider.
Primo includes the core MDM software you need to manage remote devices, alongside an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) that you can automatically deploy and monitor to go a step further in security. We also make buying and delivering (and returning) devices simple, manage user permissions and settings easily, and essentially automate all of your core IT processes.
To see how comprehensive but simple remote device management can make your life easier, get started today.
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The modern office has seen a significant transformation, with hybrid and remote work becoming the norm. Employees expect and thrive with the flexibility to work from anywhere—whether it’s the office, home, or the road.
But with this newfound freedom comes a critical challenge: ensuring that devices, data, and workflows remain secure and efficient across distributed teams.
That’s where mobile device management (MDM) tools are essential. These solutions let IT teams and HR managers manage devices, enforce security policies, and provide seamless support, all from a centralized platform.
In this article, we’ll explore six of the best MDM tools for SMBs, helping you unlock the full potential of a modern, flexible workforce.
What is mobile device management (MDM)?
Mobile device management is a particular class of software that lets IT managers and admins connect and control company devices from anywhere. This is particularly important in modern, hybrid work environments where laptops, mobile phones, and tablets travel all over the world.
A good MDM tool enforces your security policies, configures devices, manages apps, and tracks device statuses across your entire fleet.
This is a crucial element of remote device management, the broader set of processes and philosophies a company uses to manage remote devices. MDM is perhaps the most important aspect of this process, and is usually the starting point.
In practice, companies use MDM to set password rules and security policies, keep devices updated, and have quick access should an administrator need to take control.
Why is MDM important for small businesses?
The modern workforce has changed fundamentally from even a few years ago. Desktop PCs have largely given way to laptops, most of which go home with employees at the end of each day.
Staff are also far more likely to work from home a few days each week, if not full time. And more employees travel between offices than in previous eras.
The result is more mobile devices, and less direct oversight over where they go. Meanwhile, cyber risks like phishing attacks and unwanted entry have exploded in recent years. With more devices connecting to insecure networks or simply stolen, SMBs have real reason to be wary.
A hack could expose personal customer information, your strategies, and even your company bank accounts.
To track mobile devices and keep a secure fleet, MDM software helps you:
- Increase security: You can ensure that devices are always updated with the required security systems, and are quickly retrieved if lost.
- Stay compliant: Particularly for certain industries and business models, you need to be extra vigilant over hacks and lost data. But there’s really never a good time for a data breach.
- Save money: It’s surprisingly common for devices to get misplaced or forgotten as employees come and go. As part of a robust remote device management plan, MDM keeps track of devices and ensures they’re returned when people leave.
- Work efficiently: Small businesses don’t have time to waste on manual device tracking. An MDM tool avoids the need for messy spreadsheets or endless back and forth between colleagues. All the information you need—and the ability to solve common issues—is available in one place.
- Allows flexibility: Some businesses use a one-size-fits-all IT approach for simplicity. But with the right tools and efficient processes, you can still have personalized hardware and software, without it becoming unwieldy.
Key MDM features to look for
There are a range of tools available, as well as broader remote device management platforms that include MDM. So it can be hard to know the specific features to look for when considering your mobile device management software.
While every platform has its strengths and weakness, good MDM software should include:
- Device tracking. Know where each company device is, and monitor performance where required.
- Remote control. If necessary, an admin can take over and “drive” a device, no matter where it is.
- System updates. Update individual devices on a case-by-case basis, and schedule company-wide updates to software and security protocols.
- Usage policies. If necessary, admins can restrict the use of certain websites, apps, or device features.
- Security monitoring. Spot security threats across the whole network, manage antivirus software, and roll out fixes to known security issues.
- Identity management. This is not actually a core MDM feature, but the best MDMs integrate with identity management providers. This lets you control user access with via single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication and role-based access.
With these features in mind, let’s look now at some of the best MDM systems available. All of these tools do the above essentials well, so we’ll focus on the aspects that set them apart.
6 best mobile device management systems
If you’re eager to implement mobile device management in your business, these are the tools we recommend.
1. Primo
Primo has all of the above features (and more) to track, update, and optimize remote devices. As an MDM tool, it gives you the security and control you need to manage distributed teams and modern work environments.
But Primo goes beyond mobile device management as an all-in-one IT operations platform. You can easily source and distribute new devices, create company-wide security protocols, deliver compliance training, and keep track of a growing hardware fleet.
This is ideal for busy IT teams who want to make all of their operational work efficient and smooth. But it’s also perfect for “accidental” IT managers, often in HR or office management, who may not have the time or technical expertise to manage devices effectively. Primo takes care of every time-consuming task they could have, so they can focus on what they were hired to do.
Primo works across brands, so you have good MDM tools whether you use Mac, Windows, or other operating systems. You can also source devices directly from Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Backmarket, among others.
Ultimately, Primo lets you manage all key IT processes in one smooth system, and avoid the technical challenges that plague most businesses.
Key features
- Buy and ship new devices within five days
- Track, update, optimize, and wipe devices remotely
- High-level cybersecurity identifies ransomware and undoes any damage caused
- Integrate your HR system for automated onboarding and offboarding processes
Best fit for
- Growing SMBs (50-500 FTEs) that need lean, effective IT processes
- Companies which use both Apple and Windows devices, as Primo works across operating systems and hardware providers
Not a great fit for
- Large companies with existing IT processes that only need MDM solutions
2. Microsoft Intune
Intune is Microsoft’s MDM solution, for companies already using its networking products and suite of tools. It helps network admins manage user access and device settings, and is predominantly for enterprise-level companies. This includes mobile devices, desktops, and virtual endpoints.
As you would expect, Intune is a popular option among IT professionals who set up Microsoft environments for clients. These are often larger, more traditional office settings, where Outlook and Excel are commonplace. The platform lets you create and standardize specific security settings, zero-trust rules, and set the kinds of usage limits larger companies often require.
Windows Autopilot also promises to be increasingly useful in managing IT. Intune already uses this AI tool to help deploy operating systems and provision new devices, and the use cases are sure to expand quickly.
Key features
- Broad range of native Microsoft integrations
- Custom roles and policies for enhanced security
- Mobile threat detection and defense services
- Can be used for BYOD or company-owned devices
Best for
- Larger enterprise businesses already using and familiar with the Microsoft suite of tools
Not a great fit for
- SMBs or fast-growing companies that want to manage IT in house with minimal delays and setup costs
3. Jamf Pro
Jamf is known as perhaps the market leader in mobile device management for Apple devices. Whether your business uses iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Mac OS devices, or Apple TVs, Jamf has the features to manage them centrally and keep them secure.
Jamf Pro offers zero touch deployment if you buy Apple devices through their B2B providers. It then makes it easy to find, monitor, and update those devices as required during their lifecycles.
Jamf has a few price points and packages to consider, including those for very small companies with no dedicated IT support. But Jamf Pro is its true MDM product, aimed at larger businesses and higher education providers, with a more complete feature set.
Jamf Pro is at the more expensive end of the pricing scale for MDM providers. Some SMBs don’t need a solution at this robust price point.
Customers love the fact that Jamf is so focused and committed to Apple products. This allows them to be at the cutting edge of innovation and adapt quickly to the slightest changes released by Apple.
Key features
- Application management and consolidation
- Remote wipe and device tracking
- Strong security features
- User-friendly experience for teams with limited technical expertise
Best fit for
- Larger companies and universities with a fleet of Apple devices
- SMBs that exclusively use Apple products
Not a great fit for
- SMBs with a significant mix of non-Apple and Apple devices
- Budget-conscious companies
4. Kandji
Kandji is another Apple specialist. In fact, it markets itself as “the Apple device management and security platform.” This focus gives you the confidence that these are dedicated experts who “know the Apple ecosystem inside and out.”
As an administrator, you create “blueprints” with all the common settings and apps every employee needs. The platform provides a library of 150+ ready-to-use apps, including all the most common tools most businesses use. This makes setting up your working environment simple and scalable.
Its support team is made up of experienced systems administrators who understand the common problems most IT managers face. They’re known for being particularly helpful in solving issues, which are already few and far between.
Customers include Allbirds, Demandbase, and Sisense, among a range of other tech-enabled growing businesses. For companies with Apple-heavy IT requirements, Kandji may be the perfect solution.
Key features
- Automated software updates to keep all devices on the same version
- AI assistant that delivers insights and tips for better device management
- Migration agent tool to switch easily from your current MDM provider
- Active and responsive support team, especially during setup
Best fit for
- Growing businesses with almost exclusively Apple devices
Not a great fit for
- SMBs with a significant mix of non-Apple and Apple devices
5. Miradore
Miradore is a low-cost MDM software that does the basics well. And that’s more than enough for some small businesses. The tool is particularly useful for companies with hundreds or even thousands of devices to monitor, but a small team and low IT budget.
You can monitor and manage your fleet easily, and enforce compliance and security protocols. You can also check that operating systems and software are up to date, when the device was last used, and where it is at any given time.
Miradore secures both company-owned and personal devices across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. And for many small businesses, there’s just the right level of security and control, without becoming overly complex.
Key features
- Device inventory management
- Application and patch management
- Configuration, restriction, and device tracking
- Automation for a range of IT tasks
Best fit for
- Companies with basic MDM needs and low budgets
Not a great fit for
- SMBs that need all-in-one IT management, including sourcing, onboarding and offboarding devices, or want MDM customization
6. JumpCloud
JumpCloud is perhaps the most technical platform on this list, best suited to advanced IT teams with high levels of expertise. It’s an incredibly open and customizable solution, which is exactly what some businesses need.
JumpCloud manages Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS and iPadOS devices, unlike the Apple-specific tools above. This lets IT managers create policies and protocols that apply across all of these devices, rather than managing them separately.
It also lets you limit the installation of unapproved software, also known as “shadow IT.” Coupled with zero-trust policies that protects users, devices, applications, files, and networks, it’s one of the best solutions for security-obsessed organizations.
It may not be the simplest platform on this list, but JumpCloud is a very powerful, dedicated MDM solution.
Key features
- JumpCloud Go provides strong multi-factor authentication and password settings
- Zero-trust policies for devices and networks
- Open directory platform that integrates with your existing IT stack
- SaaS management to oversee your tools and optimize licenses
Best fit for
- Companies with established IT teams and support that want to tailor MDM to their exact specifications
Not a great fit for
- SMBs that need user-friendly, ready-to-use tools
Find the ideal MDM for your SMB
Corporate devices have taken on an interesting status in recent years. For most employees, their phone or computer is theirs, with use extending far outside office hours. Of course, IT leaders have a different view, and (rightly) see devices as company property.
But just because devices go everywhere with employees, that doesn’t mean they can’t be secure and tracked efficiently. The platforms above make this a reality.
No matter what size your company is, or the industry you serve, you almost certainly need MDM software. The real question is: which is right for you?
Hopefully the breakdowns above help you make your choice. And for more help, talk to us. We’ll gladly help you figure out whether Primo or one of the other excellent providers on this list is right for you.
Primo now has an MCP server.
A device gets flagged. You need to know who it's assigned to, when it was last active, whether there's an open ticket on it, and what access that employee currently has.
You open Primo. You look up the device. You check the employee profile. You cross-reference the ticket queue. You piece it together.
That's four steps for a question that should take one.
Here's the same thing with Primo's MCP server connected to your AI assistant: you type "what's going on with this device?" and get back the device details, the assigned employee, their onboarding status, and any related tickets. One prompt. Full context. No tab-switching.
That's what we shipped.
What MCP actually is
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor connect directly to external tools. Instead of answering from training data, your AI queries your actual systems in real time.
With Primo's MCP server, that means your AI assistant can talk directly to your IT fleet. Devices, employees, accessories, tickets: all accessible from the AI tools you already have open.
Why it hits differently with Primo
Most IT tools that support MCP give you access to records. Primo gives you access to a connected data model.
Because Primo ties devices, employee lifecycle, SaaS access, and ticketing into one operational system, a single prompt can cross all of those layers at once. When you ask about a device, it comes back linked to an identity. When you ask about an employee, you get their full IT footprint: what they have, what they can access, what's pending.
That's the difference between querying isolated records and querying a unified IT operations platform.
It also means you can get a compliance-ready view of your entire fleet in one prompt. Preparing for an ISO 27001 audit and need to know which devices aren't enrolled or which employees still have active access after offboarding? That's a question your AI can now answer across your whole fleet, not just device by device.
A few things you can do from a single prompt today:
- Pull a device's full IT history (enrollment date, successive assignments) alongside the employee it's assigned to ;
- List all open tickets filtered by status, priority, or assignee ;
- Check which employees joined this month and whether their devices are provisioned ;
- Spot accessories that are unassigned or overdue for return ;
- Search across your entire fleet without opening a single filter.
And when you're ready to move beyond read-only, write access lets you create tickets, add comments, update status and assignee, and perform device actions like locking or wiping directly from your AI client.
What your AI can do in Primo
One note on device actions: locking and wiping are irreversible. Write mode is there for teams who want speed, but it's worth confirming before you act.
Getting connected
Authentication runs through OAuth. No API key to generate or manage, you sign in with your existing Primo account and you're done.
The server URL is https://api.getprimo.com/mcp. By default it runs in read-only mode. To enable write access, use https://api.getprimo.com/mcp?readOnly=false.
Setup is the same across clients: go to the MCP Servers section in your settings, add the URL, and complete the OAuth flow. Full instructions for Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor are in the Primo help center.
A good place to start
Read-only prompts are the fastest way to build trust in the workflow before moving into writes. Try these:
"Show me all devices that haven't been active in the last 30 days."
"What open tickets are currently unassigned?"
"List employees who joined this month and check whether their devices have been provisioned."
Once that feels natural, write access opens up the rest.
The MCP server is live now. Get started at https://api.getprimo.com/mcp, or head to the help center if you want step-by-step setup instructions for your AI client.
The benefits of automation are well known to modern businesses. For decades, companies have found ways to turn slow, repetitive processes into efficient, self-executing systems. Which lets teams focus on impact, rather than repeating the same low-value tasks.
Onboarding and offboarding are both high-value processes made up of low-impact touchpoints. Getting team members up to speed quickly really matters. How you create their email account or reset security permissions doesn’t.
Which is why automating these manual steps makes such a big difference. Automated onboarding and offboarding takes low-value work off your plate, and lets you focus on what is important. It also makes both processes faster, easier, and eliminates basic errors.
In this article, we look at how automation can improve your onboarding and offboarding processes—particularly for IT operations. Then we meet two companies who successfully automated their own IT onboarding, and saw tangible benefits.
What are employee onboarding and offboarding processes?
Onboarding and offboarding are the practical, functional, and cultural processes associated with welcoming and farewelling company employees. Onboarding typically includes teaching new hires about the company culture, training in your specific ways of working, and giving them the hardware and software tools they need to execute.
Offboarding is the change process at the end of an employee’s time with your company. This can include exit interviews, farewell celebrations, and regaining possession of company property like computers, phones, and access cards.
Key steps in IT onboarding
The IT onboarding process is often slower than you’d like. It involves numerous distinct steps, which can really add up if handled individually and manually. These include:
- Setting up user profiles and permissions
- Ordering new devices
- Configuring applications, software, and security updates on these devices
- Delivering devices to new employees
- Training employees on compliance, cybersecurity, and optimal use
- Monitoring device performance and troubleshooting issues
IT is just one aspect of an employee’s onboarding, and can be taken for granted by hiring managers. Your goal is to make all of the above happen smoothly, quickly, and with no extra work for yourself or the new hire.
For help, see our short checklist for efficient IT onboarding.
What IT offboarding involves
While the IT onboarding process may be neglected, offboarding is often overlooked altogether. Retrieving devices from departing employees is essential both for asset management and security.
Key steps include:
- Locking devices the moment employees no longer need them
- Wiping personal data or returning devices to factory settings
- Returning physical devices to the office or supplier
- Checking a device’s state for reuse
- Preparing devices to be redeployed
All of this adds up, and is always more complicated with remote or distributed teams. In a traditional office setting, it’s pretty simple to have an employee hand in their devices on their last day. It’s more challenging if that employee is in another city, state, or country.
Why automate employee onboarding and offboarding?
In general, the best processes to automate involve a number of manual steps and little added value from having people handle each one.
Key benefits of automating your IT onboarding and offboarding include:
- Time saved for IT teams and hiring managers, who no longer need to manually work through each of those steps we saw above.
- Faster onboarding for new employees, who don’t need to wait for people to set up their profiles or order devices.
- Near-instant offboarding, because devices can be locked or wiped immediately with a simple click.
- Fewer errors, including skipped or forgotten steps, faulty devices, or losing track of devices when an employee leaves.
- More consistent experiences, as every employee follows the same automated process at the beginning and end of employment.
Overall, automation creates more streamlined and efficient internal processes. And for something as common and recurring as onboarding and offboarding, efficiency gains can really add up.
How modern SMBs automate onboarding and offboarding — and why it works
To illustrate with tangible examples, let’s take a look at two companies that prioritize automation in the onboarding and offboarding process.
Like many growing companies, both faced real challenges in scaling IT operations. Even as modern tech companies, they had few resources specifically for IT operations. They needed to create efficient, easily-replicable processes to get new employees up and running, and to smoothly offboard team members at the end of their work.
Best modern SMBs have understood that a great onboarding experience comes from the collaboration between HR and IT teams — and these two companies made that alignment a core part of their approach. As we’ll see, the secret to success lay in choosing the right tools and partners to take the weight off their very busy leaders.
Faume: Near-instant IT operations for a distributed workforce
Founded in 2020, Faume is a technical logistics solution that lets brands create resale services for their products. Faume works with world-famous logos like Hugo Boss, The Kooples, Aigle, and Bash to bring second lives to items and make consumer commerce more sustainable.
Faume’s 30-person team includes remote staff across France. CTO and Co-founder Jocelyn Kerbouc’h needed a simple way to deploy and manage devices for this distributed workforce ahead of scaling post-Series A.
Before: False starts with IT providers
Faume initially leased computers in the hopes of getting additional support and a streamlined service. But this was far more expensive than the cost of buying—they were asked to pay up to €2,500 for a €1,200 computer. And worse, they still regularly encountered malfunctioning devices and frustrating errors.
They pivoted to buying from Apple directly, tracking devices manually in a Notion doc. This was certainly more cost effective, but added more administrative effort to the onboarding process.
As a co-founder wearing multiple hats, Jocelyn couldn’t afford this extra admin. Faume needed a more robust IT operations solution that could deliver devices at the right price, while also tracking their use and ensuring security.
Today: Centralized IT onboarding & offboarding
The big switch was finding an IT operations provider that lets Jocelyn order, configure, and deliver employee devices in a few clicks. Using Primo, Jocelyn sets password rules and updates, and pre-configures applications so that computers arrive ready to use.
“Thanks to Primo, onboarding new employees now takes us half the time it used to,” says Jocelyn.
Faume has essentially automated the onboarding process, and offboarding is just as simple. When an employee leaves, Jocelyn can lock and wipe their computer remotely. Departing employees receive a shipping box and can easily return computers from anywhere.
The result is a more efficient, secure IT environment for Faume. And Jocelyn can put all his energy into building and leading his business.
Read the full Faume story here.
Dalma: Efficient operations with no IT team
Dalma is France’s fastest-growing pet health insurance company. Its tech-enabled platform already insures more than 40,000 European cats and dogs, with no signs of slowing down.
Founded in 2021, the 70-strong team has grown quickly to deliver this popular and worthwhile service. While that’s good for business (and for our pets), it put pressure on former Head of People Claire Maarek.
With IT onboarding just a small portion of her role, Claire didn’t have the time or technical expertise to build a comprehensive program from scratch.
Before: Poor leasing experience
Like Faume, Dalma also tried leasing as a (theoretically) efficient way to manage IT operations. But Claire explains that the downsides were obvious right away. “Our leasing experience was disappointing, offering minimal service and reliability with poor customer support.”
It was a maddening mix of high prices and low-quality service. For an HR leader like Claire—not an IT pro by trade—this wasn’t a tenable situation.
Today: IT onboarding in seconds
Since switching to Primo, the results are night and day. IT onboarding takes mere seconds, and Dalma can secure hardware at competitive prices, configured and delivered for when the person arrives. All of this with no deep IT procurement knowledge or dedicated technical experts.
Most importantly for HR professionals, Primo integrates with Payfit (alongside other HR platforms). Dalma adds a new employee in Payfit, and most of the process is automated from there. Devices arrive on time, whether new hires are in France or Germany.
When an employee leaves, Primo makes it easy to retrieve or reassign devices elsewhere, or simply resell them. Which makes both onboarding and offboarding as easy as can be.
Read the full Dalma story here.
Make IT onboarding and offboarding a breeze
Both IT onboarding and offboarding are relatively simple processes, made difficult by manual steps and a need for technical expertise. Particularly for growing companies without IT teams or paid external consultants, key steps can fall through the cracks.
That’s how you end up with security risks, sluggish processes, and frustrated team members — right when first impressions matter most.
The best way to streamline IT onboarding and offboarding is with one central solution. And as both Faume and Dalma showed, it’s even better when that solution integrates with your HR systems and company tools. This lets HR leaders and hiring managers—often “accidental IT managers”—keep control and ensure each step is completed efficiently.
Primo provides exactly that: an all-in-one IT management system for faster onboarding and offboarding. You can easily automate virtually all of your IT operations, without paying huge fees to managed providers.