Managing customer relations and improving interactions on the go has been a significant challenge for many businesses. Mobile CRM enables businesses to overcome these challenges through real-time customer communication, quicker responses, and enhanced collaborations. However, there have been security issues for mobile CRM solutions which require advanced measures.
According to Verizon study on mobile cybersecurity, 46% of devices were compromised in 2022. This means normal mobile phone operations and CRM activities face security issues.
So, how do you ensure more security for your mobile CRM?
Mobile CRM security requirements are peculiar due to remote data exchange. This requires a well-strategized security plan that includes critical best practices like choosing a trusted CRM provider, securing infrastructure, creating data backups, and encrypting data.
Let’s first understand the crucial aspects of mobile CRM security and why it is necessary.
Reasons to take mobile CRM security seriously!
CRM operations include customer data management, monitoring interactions, quoting, conducting sales, and ensuring reliable customer support systems. Businesses must capture, analyze, process, and maintain large amounts of data for all CRM activities. This makes security a crucial aspect.
At the same time, other reasons, as outlined below, also make mobile CRM essential.
#1. Operational disruptions
Monitoring user interaction and the system’s behavior helps businesses improve customer experience. CRMs enable businesses to monitor crucial data, which allows businesses to fine-tune operations. This constant feedback integration system faces disruption due to compromised mobile CRM security.
Take an example of an eCommerce business selling smartphones and other electronic gadgets with an online store. This company relies heavily on mobile CRM to manage customer interactions, track orders, and provide personalized recommendations.
If there is a data breach in the mobile CRM system, critical customer data like addresses, purchase histories, and financial information can be exposed to cyber attackers. It can also disrupt order processing and lead to delayed shipments as crucial customer information is unavailable.
So, businesses must invest in mobile CRM security to ensure no operational disruptions.
#2. Data regulation compliance
Healthcare companies must maintain Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act(HIPAA) compliance. Without proper mobile CRM security, a healthcare company can have issues with HIPAA compliance.
Similarly, many industries have specific data regulations, and mobile security is crucial to comply with such guidelines.
#3. Secured accessibility for teams
CRM data is vital for any sales and marketing team that works remotely. These teams use a mobile CRM to update customer data in real time and access information on the go. However, most of these employees work within a network different from an organization's.
This causes security issues as specific policy enforcement on employee networks is challenging. Cyber attackers can access sensitive information remotely through social engineering practices. Hackers can get employee credentials to access organization data and leak critical information.
Cyberattackers can also leverage remote code injections to impact the working of mobile CRM systems. This is why mobile security and IT compliance are essential to ensure secure accessibility for your sales team.
Furthermore, cyber attackers can infiltrate other databases such as warehouses and inventory which can compromise your business' supply chain while affecting your relationships with your partners and vendors. By indirectly protecting your internal company data and helping with vendor risk management, mobile CRM security solutions position themselves as a crucial component in your business' safety.
#4. Customer’s trust
If customers know about data breaches in your platform or app, it can lead to a lack of trust. According to a study by Adobe, 7 in 10 customers make more purchases from the brands they trust. Securing mobile CRM can help you build trust and ensure the entire experience with your business is seamless.
Apart from trustworthiness, mobile CRM security ensures your business has no financial or legal troubles.
#5. Financial and legal issues
Compromised mobile CRM security can lead to financial loss for businesses. Especially for Fintech and eCommerce businesses, mobile CRM security is a must. This is because of financial data leaks due to cyberattacks on mobile CRM and a lack of security measures.
Ensuring mobile CRM security is complex for businesses due to multiple factors,
- Multiple data sources
- Complex accessibility requirements
- Specific data compliance requirements
- Data management complexities
- Challenges of managing infrastructure.
While these complexities and challenges may be a cause for concern, there are some best practices to avoid them.
Mobile CRM security best practices to follow for your business
Mobile CRM security challenges require measures that secure data, its access, and the exchange of information. This includes encrypting the data, implementing multiple-factor authentication, and enforcing custom security policies.
#1. Data encryption for better security
Data encryptions help you encode plain text into cipher, which is hard for cyber attackers to crack. SSL certificates can secure communication between remote devices and local data centers. It is a digital certificate that uses an encryption-decryption approach.
So, only the intended recipient with a public or private key can decrypt the data for access. You can install an SSL certificate or a code signing certificate on your local server on a mobile CRM app. However, you need to choose the type of certificate that aligns with your CRM needs.
If you have multiple subdomains for customer support, sales, social media, and others in your CRM, choose a Cheap Wildcard SSL certificate from a leading certificate authority (CA). Many CAs in the market offer multiple types of SSL certificates. You can either buy certificates directly from CAs or a cheap SSL shop.
Choosing the correct type of certificate and CA is crucial. So, research and compare different options before choosing one for your mobile CRM.
#2. Use multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a layer of security to your CRM data through personalized passphrases or codes. So, if an employee or user tries to access information from mobile CRM remotely, verification is not limited to a password.
Each time a user or employee needs access to information on mobile CRM, they must enter an ID and password for the first layer of authentication. For the second authentication factor, a message with a unique code or passphrase is sent to their mobile devices. Once users provide this code, they can access the data.
#3. Enforce a mobile device management (MDM)
MDM helps your business enforce security policies on devices connected with local data centers. This includes the requirement of a password for access, disabling cameras, and restricting specific apps or websites.
It also allows monitoring of different devices that use mobile CRM systems and improves visibility on unauthorized data changes. In case a device is stolen or misplaced by employees, MDM helps secure sensitive data by completely removing information.
Further, IT teams can use MDM to distribute and manage critical CRM apps across mobile devices. It also ensures that every device that connects with your organization’s network is configured correctly.
#4. Isolate incidents and avert risks
Use the containerization approach to isolate risks and events to identify the source of concern.
Containers help you isolate apps and dependencies, making identifying malicious activities easy. You can improve role-based access controls for your mobile CRM using container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes.
Further, immutable containers make configuration changes and data manipulation for hackers difficult. It also offers higher consistency and portability for your applications across environments.
#5. Excuse audits and monitor mobile CRM
Lastly, you must have an audit and monitoring mechanism for mobile CRM security. CRM has multiple data sources, processing functions, and analytical features. Data changes or remote code injections through a compromised source are very much possible.
To avoid such scenarios, you need to have an audit and a cyber tabletop test scheduled frequently. It helps understand the need for specific security measures and policy changes for better data protection. For example, audits ensure no code is injected through user-generated content if your mobile CRM is connected to social media.
If there are any such instances, you can enforce security policies that systems must consider before integrating user-generated content.
Key takeaways
- Mobile CRM Security is essential for data compliance, customer trust, and ROI.
- Ignoring mobile CRM security can lead to financial and legal issues.
- Use a wildcard SSL certificate and multi-factor authentication for mobile CRM security.
- Enforce a mobile device management (MDM) policy.
- Isolate incidents and identify the source of cyberattacks.
- Conduct regular audits and monitor your mobile CRM.
Conclusion
Mobile CRM security is not just another catchphrase but a necessity for modern businesses. Because if you don’t secure the data in CRM, it can lead to trust problems, losses, and reduced profits. This is why we have discussed best practices you can use to improve the security of mobile CRM and ensure secure data access.
However, the practice for your mobile CRM depends on specific project requirements. Also, you need to consider what type of digital certificate or MFA approach to use for the security of mobile CRM.