Modern device management is the key to agility, trust and productivity

Let’s be honest: the phrase “device management” doesn’t exactly scream “boardroom priority.” But the boardroom is precisely where the conversation belongs.  

The devices we rely on to work, collaborate and innovate are now core to enterprise performance. No longer passive endpoints, they have become strategic drivers of productivity, security, compliance and, increasingly, AI enablement.

Let’s explore how modern device management, powered by Microsoft’s platform and delivered at scale by NTT DATA, is helping organizations to evolve from fragmented endpoint control to intelligent, secure and AI-ready operations.

Why device management demands executive attention

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that digital operations need to adapt fast or risk falling behind. Nowhere is this more evident than at the device level, where several macroshifts are converging:

Hybrid work is here to stay

Work doesn’t happen in one place anymore. Your employees expect the same seamless experience whether they’re at home, in a coworking space or 30,000 feet in the air.

NTT DATA’s 2023 Global Employee Experience Trends Report found that 57% of employees were following a hybrid or fully remote work model, but only 48% of organizations agreed strongly that their employees had access to technology that would enable and augment their performance when working from home or remotely.

Zero trust is no longer optional

With sophisticated cyberattacks occurring more frequently, organizations are adopting zero trust as a baseline security posture. Device compliance and real-time verification are now standard, not nice-to-haves.

• ALSO READ → Zero trust, SASE and AI: The power trio that keeps your network safe

Device sprawl is real — and complex

Employees use a variety of devices, including those they bring from home, company-owned devices that are enabled for personal use, and devices specific to their industry. You need to manage them all with equal precision and without increasing friction.

AI is no longer experimental

With Copilot for Microsoft 365, GenAI has entered the organizational workflow. But to adopt AI responsibly in your organization, you need to govern device access, secure data flows and track AI usage intelligently.

• ALSO READ → The AI responsibility crisis: why executive leadership must act now

Compliance and ESG are on the board’s agenda

Auditors and investors now expect visibility of data flows, device governance and environmental impact. Endpoint strategy involves managing devices and data in a way that supports your organization’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

For example, using energy-efficient and securely managed devices can reduce your environmental impact, while transparent data flows and robust device governance facilitate compliance and build trust.

Digital experience matters more than ever

Employees judge their workplace by how the technology supports them. Lagging laptops, patchy application access and clunky onboarding erode trust — and productivity. These aren’t IT issues. They’re business issues, and they start at the endpoint.

The payoff: What modern device management delivers

When organizations move from outdated tooling to intelligent, unified endpoint management, they see real-world results — fast. Modern device management is a value driver, not a cost line.

So, what does “doing it right” actually deliver?

1. Faster onboarding = faster productivity: With zero-touch device provisioning via Windows Autopilot, new hires go from offer letter to full productivity in hours, not days. No shipping delays, no IT tickets, no hassles.
2. Lower support costs and less IT noise: Organizations using Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender have reported a 24% drop in support tickets. Proactive diagnostics and centralized control take the pressure off help desks.
3. Built-in compliance and governance: Microsoft Purview helps organizations monitor, classify and protect data across endpoints. Whether you’re preparing for a General Data Protection Regulation audit in the European Union or maintaining Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act standards in the US, compliance is no longer a scramble.
4. Real ESG impact: Finding ways of extending your device lifecycle by one year and reducing endpoint emissions is not just good IT — it’s good business, too.
5. Stronger employee retention and engagement: Your employees are likely to stay longer when the tools just work. Smooth onboarding, reliable device experiences and secure access build trust, especially for Gen Z and mobile workers.
6. AI enablement without the risk: Organizations that adopt Copilot for Microsoft 365 within a modern device-management framework can deploy AI responsibly, with the confidence that data access, security and usage policies are in place.

What modern device management looks like

Most organizations don’t start from scratch. They inherit device ecosystems built over years and, often, across silos. This introduces familiar challenges:

• Onboarding takes too long, with too much manual configuration.
• Patch updates are inconsistent, leaving vulnerabilities unaddressed.
• Devices vary wildly in compliance, especially across regions.
• Overwhelmed help desks are reacting instead of planning ahead.
• Shadow IT pops up when users don’t get what they need.
• AI, ESG and zero trust remain stuck in slide decks — not execution.

These issues go beyond inefficiency to leave your organization exposed — legally, financially and reputationally. You need a unified platform, paired with a roadmap that aligns your device strategy with your business outcomes.

This is exactly what Microsoft offers through an ecosystem of products designed to manage organizational complexity at scale:

• Microsoft Intune for unified device management across operating systems
• Windows Autopilot for automated provisioning and role-based setup
• Microsoft Defender XDR for endpoint threat protection and analytics
• Microsoft Entra ID for secure identity and conditional access policies
• Microsoft Purview for governance, data-loss prevention and audit capabilities
• Copilot for Microsoft 365 for embedding AI in everyday work, secured at device level

You benefit from using a platform built for agility, compliance and long-term resilience.

The Microsoft and NTT DATA advantage

However, the technology alone isn’t enough. You need a trusted transformation partner who can help you move fast, avoid disruption and stay focused on outcomes. This is where NTT DATA comes in.

As a Microsoft Global System Integrator Partner, NTT DATA has helped Fortune 500 companies and high-growth enterprises alike by:

• Reducing onboarding time by over 50%
• Rolling out secure endpoint governance in more than 50 countries
• Aligning endpoint strategy with AI, ESG and digital experience goals
• Building transformation roadmaps using Microsoft’s device-management maturity model
• Executing at scale across industries, regions and compliance zones

Microsoft provides the foundation, and NTT DATA brings it to life — fast, securely and intelligently.

Case study: A global airline reimagines its workplace

A major global airline faced a familiar challenge: over 30,000 devices spread across more than 400 locations, with inconsistent support and a mobile-heavy workforce.

Working with Microsoft and NTT DATA, they deployed the following Microsoft solutions:

• Intune, for centralized visibility
• Autopilot, for role-based zero-touch onboarding
• Defender XDR, for unified threat detection
• Entra ID and Purview, for secure, compliant access

The results?

Device management became both more efficient and more strategic, with:

• A 24% drop in IT support calls
• Onboarding time slashed for seasonal and contract workers
• Improved compliance-tracking across hubs and regions
• Significantly higher satisfaction among both field and corporate users

A roadmap to strategic device management

Every organization starts somewhere. Microsoft’s maturity model offers a practical path forward from traditional management tactics to a strategic approach:

Traditional stage

Manual setup and siloed tools result in high costs, low visibility and inconsistent security.

Advanced stage

Microsoft Intune, Autopilot and Defender are deployed to facilitate faster onboarding, improved support and stronger controls.

Optimized stage

The use of autopatch, telemetry and Microsoft Purview enables proactive governance, a better digital experience and audit-readiness.

Strategic stage

With zero trust, Copilot, ESG and AI governance in place, you can unlock enterprise agility and AI enablement at scale while building employee trust.

NTT DATA helps you move through each phase with confidence and without operational disruption.

Take the first step toward enterprise trust

The way you provision a more secure, productive and AI-enabled organization doesn’t start in the boardroom; it starts at the device level. How you provision, secure, govern and support your endpoints sets the tone for how your organization will adapt, compete and grow.

Microsoft delivers the architecture. NTT DATA delivers the impact. Let us help you today.