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IDC research illustrates profound benefits of 7SIGNAL's WIRELESS MONITORING SOLUTIONS
We’re excited to report the findings from a 7SIGNAL end-user evaluation published by the global market intelligence firm IDC. The white paper quantitatively assessed the business value derived from using the Mobile Eye® agent to monitor networks and manage endpoints' connectivity, plus the qualitative impacts of using Sapphire Eye® onsite network appliances.
The Business Value of 7SIGNAL for Optimizing Enterprise Wireless Connectivity, written by Harsh Singh and Mark Leary, reveals that the average 7SIGNAL customer has 32% more efficient networking and IT teams. Organizations hit breakeven on their investment in just three months.
The sponsored IDC white paper is based on in-depth surveys of ten 7SIGNAL customers from around the world, including healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, education, financial services, and professional services. The companies’ customer revenues ranged from $182.4 Million to $197.4 Billion, with staff sizes (FTE) starting at just 650 employees and reaching over 400,000 workers.
Wireless network monitoring solutions have gained immense value as consistent connectivity for a growing range of devices has become mission-critical—and as networks have grown more complex and diverse.
In particular, the new work-from-home dynamic has taxed IT staff's ability to monitor networks and support the connections that maintain productivity. IDC 2020 survey research revealed that over half of their employees, on average, currently work from home, up from just 6.3% before the pandemic. And the survey respondents anticipate that nearly a third (29.8%) of workers will continue to do so in 2021. Adequate visibility into diverse network and device issues through WIFI monitoring is a must to meet these changing needs.
The Mobile Eye monitors networks and keeps them connected to devices
Mobile Eye is an enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) agent developed and patented by 7SIGNAL to keep wireless devices connected. Compatible with supported versions of Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android devices, the platform helps network and IT teams find and fix issues quickly to keep digital experiences and critical business applications performing optimally. Crucially, Mobile Eye monitors network connections from the individual device and end-user perspective, providing insights that explicitly narrow down problems and solutions.
The value of connection
According to IDC, 7SIGNAL customers realize significant value by leveraging Mobile Eye. The white paper reports that using the platform resulted in an annual average value of $1.16 million per organization, resulting in a three-year ROI of 670%.
Some of the most significant value contributors noted in IDC’s research include:
- A three-month payback period
- 32% more efficient networking teams
- 33% more efficient network troubleshooting
- 36% more efficient network management teams
- 43% less unplanned, network-related downtime
- 22% faster ability to receive reports of new locations and end-users added to the network
- 3,000+ end-user productivity hours gained back per year
Crucially, the average time needed to troubleshoot issues improved by 59%, with a 65% reduction in identifying problems and a 57% efficiency gain in resolutions. And because 7SIGNAL’s Mobile Eye provides the visibility needed for proactive steps, the number of issues that required troubleshooting fell by 18%!
A qualitative analysis of the Sapphire Eye®
In addition to the Mobile Eye, some of the surveyed companies also use 7SIGNAL’s Sapphire Eye, a distributed wireless network monitoring appliance that measures the performance and health of onsite wireless network infrastructure. The platform accomplishes this by assessing a range of factors, including user experience metrics, wireless metadata, access point (AP) service level agreements, and RF interference patterns.
The IDC survey solicited qualitative feedback on the Sapphire Eye, and 7SIGNAL clients reported reduced troubleshooting time and costs, greater visibility into whether a problem actually stemmed from the network, clearer issue identification, and lower infrastructure costs. Here are some select comments from Sapphire Eye users:
- "The biggest benefit is the time it takes to troubleshoot, which used to take days or weeks. … There is a significant reduction of IT labor and a much-improved contribution to customer performance and productivity."
- “It helps us determine whether—when you make a change in the wireless system—you're actually helping the wireless environment or hurting it. Being able to get that real-time objective feedback from a device that's always constantly running the same tests is nice."
- “Prior to using it, we didn't have the data to say that the wireless infrastructure was or wasn't providing adequate coverage. We did find out it was adequate, so we did not have to invest as much in our wireless infrastructure as we had planned."
Real solutions and real ROI with 7SIGNAL’s wireless network monitoring solutions
IDC’s in-depth analysis of how 7SIGNAL customers achieve value from our tools validates what we hear from them regularly. By providing organizations with a wi-fi monitoring platform that makes an immediate impact on the bottom line, we deliver faster time-to-value and increased financial benefits compared to our industry peers.
The Mobile Eye and Sapphire Eye solve problems and deliver tangible ROI—eliminating many of the pain points that tank productivity and make decision-makers hesitant to implement network solutions. Curious about what 7SIGNAL is all about? You can learn more about us here.
Learn more by downloading the full IDC report here.
7SIGNAL® is a leader in enterprise wireless experience monitoring. 7SIGNAL provides a cloud-based platform that continuously monitors wireless networks and identifies elusive performance issues impacting application performance and digital experience. By taking the "outside-in" approach to monitoring, 7SIGNAL has visibility into the edge of any enterprise or home Wi-Fi network where complex device interaction exists, and user experience matters most. The platform maximizes employee productivity, operational efficiency, and network ROI. Sapphire Eye® and Mobile Eye® are designed for and deployed at the world's most innovative organizations, educational institutions, healthcare systems, and government agencies. Learn more at www.7signal.com.