When frontline workers can’t access their mobile devices, apps, or networks they rely on, your business grinds to a halt.

Yet, most IT leaders lack the visibility or tools to proactively address these issues before users report them.

That’s a problem.

Today, I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with ControlUp, a leader in Digital Employee Experience (DEX), to extend DEX beyond desktops and into the hands of your mobile and frontline teams.

Why this partnership? Why now?

Let’s rewind.

As shown in the graphic below, twenty years ago, enterprise mobility meant rugged barcode scanners in warehouses or retail stockrooms. They were reliable, low-maintenance, and largely invisible to IT, Ops, and Finance.

Thousands of frontline workers now rely on Android handheld devices, apps, and network connections to perform their jobs – whether delivering packages, servicing equipment, restocking shelves, or managing production lines.

But here’s the catch:

When something breaks in enterprise mobility, the impact on the frontline employee, customer, and company can be significant, and IT is often the last to know.

This partnership recognizes this problem and is built around a simple truth:   When mobility stops, work stops.

How often does this happen?

Our latest State of Enterprise Mobility research and report shows that:

• Eight out of ten frontline workers experience at least one issue per month with their mobile device, app, or network that prevents them from working.
• Six out of ten frontline workers report that it happens at least once a week.

And while the same research shows that 95% of IT leaders are using MDM/EMM tools to manage mobility, less than 2% of these leaders say it’s providing them with the detailed insights and visibility they need into these breakdowns and issues.

So, IT is left to react to trouble tickets when and if they come.

That’s why we built Elemez: to pick up where MDM/EMM tools leave off.

Our first version of Elemez gave IT leaders mobile analytics—insights into usage, data trends, and performance metrics. It earned us recognition from Gartner as a Cool Vendor and a top spot in VDC Research’s Device-Side Analytics category.

Then we added intelligence to our second evolution of Elemez. Machine learning/AI helped detect dropped devices, failing batteries, crashing apps, and misbehaving networks—before users even noticed.

But now, the game has changed.

Managing Enterprise Mobility is no longer just about analytics. It’s about holistically managing employees’ experiences using mobile technology.

That’s where Mobile DEX and our third evolution of Elemez comes in.

While ControlUp leads the way in desktop DEX for Windows environments, together we’re closing the gap for mobile and frontline operations through Elemez’s Mobile DEX.

Mobile DEX gives IT, Ops, and Finance leaders:

• Real-time visibility into device, app, and network health
• Early warnings about potential issues affecting employees
• Actionable data to drive uptime, satisfaction, and ROI

It rides the growth curve the industry is seeing with DEX solutions in the enterprise. At Gartner’s recent Digital Workplace Summit, analysts forecast that by 2026, half of digital workforce leaders will have adopted a DEX platform—up from just 30% in 2024.

That curve is steep.

And it’s climbing fast to also include frontline workers and mobile devices as part of enterprise DEX strategies.

With our partnership, ControlUp’s DEX platform now includes mobile and a focus on frontline workers, providing full-stack visibility across your entire digital workplace, from headquarters to the frontline.

This is the future of workforce tech.

One where every employee’s experience—regardless of device or location—can be monitored, measured, and optimized.