Business Travel 101: How to choose the right MDM or EMM platform

If you’re leading a team that’s scattered across airports, coffee shops, and hotel lobbies, it can feel overwhelming to keep everyone connected. 

We understand the panic that ensues when someone loses a phone, another person’s laptop gets hit with a sketchy Wi-Fi attack, and suddenly you feel like the group tour guide who’s responsible for everyone’s passports. Did we mention you’re back at the office, trying to manage this from afar? Ugh.

Running a modern business without a good MDM (Mobile Device Management) or EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) platform can feel like travelling with mismatched names on your airplane ticket and your passport: stressful, expensive, and totally unnecessary.

So let’s unpack what these tools are, why they matter, and how to pick the one that won’t leave you stranded …

What’s the difference between MDM and EMM?

Think of MDM as your basic travel kit. It provides the essentials that help you survive the trip.

• Push updates and apps remotely (like handing out boarding passes digitally)
  
• Enforce security policies (so no one sneaks “suspicious luggage” onto the network)
  
• Lock or wipe lost devices (like cancelling a stolen passport)
  
• Keep track of devices across the team (no one left behind!)
  

EMM is the deluxe version, sort of like upgrading to a fully guided tour. An EMM has all the basics of MDM, but adds:

• Application management (organizing everyone’s apps like a tidy suitcase)
  
• Content management (keeping company docs as secure as hotel safes)
  
• Identity and access management (like checking IDs at the border)
  
• Productivity apps (secure email, messaging, document sharing)
  

So basically, an MDM is ike your carry-on bag, and an EMM is like your full matching luggage set. 

Why choosing feels so overwhelming

Picking an MDM or EMM platform is like choosing travel insurance: you hope you won’t need half of it, but you’ll be really glad it’s there if something goes wrong. 

Here’s what you need to consider during the decision-making process …

• Budget: Nobody wants to pay first-class prices for economy-level features.
  
• Security: Sensitive data is like your passport. If it gets stolen, the trip is over.
  
• Employee experience: If your team hates using it, they’ll find “creative detours.” Yikes.
  
• Future-proofing: You don’t want to choose a tool that’s obsolete by your next business trip.
  

Tips for picking the right MDM or EMM

1. Start with your itinerary (aka your team’s reality).
   Are people using company-issued devices, or bringing their own? Do you need light oversight, or the full deluxe security tour?
   
2. Think about the journey.
   If your team travels or works remotely, data usage and connectivity are as important as security. Don’t book a platform that looks great on paper but leaves your team lost without Wi-Fi in the field.
   
3. Check for smooth connections.
   Does it integrate with tools like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365? Smooth integrations mean fewer headaches at customs.
   
4. Make sure it’s easy to use.
   The fanciest dashboards mean nothing if your IT crew feels like they’re reading a foreign train schedule.
   
5. Plan for growth.
   Even if you’re a 20-person “backpacker group” today, you might be a 200-person “tour bus” tomorrow. Pick something that scales.
   

Don’t forget the data plan

Here’s what most MDM and EMM platforms miss: mobile data. They can manage apps and devices all day long, but what about the actual internet connection your team needs while traveling?

That’s where aloSIM for Business steps in. While MDM/EMM keeps the group organized, aloSIM makes sure they’re all actually online — with affordable business eSIM data in 200+ countries.

With aloSIM For Business, you can:

• Hand out secure data plans like boarding passes
  
• Track team usage (no one secretly binge-watching Netflix abroad)
  
• Dodge roaming fees (no more surprise $400 phone bill, ugh)
  
• Keep staff connected to business tools wherever their trip takes them
  

It’s like being the travel guide who always has a backup map, an extra charger, and the right plug adapter.

Outfitting your travelling team

Choosing an MDM or EMM platform doesn’t have to feel like deciphering train schedules in a foreign language. Start with what your “travel group” (team) really needs, make sure the corporate travel platform plays nice with your current tools, and don’t forget the lifeblood of every modern adventure: reliable mobile data.

• MDM = manages your team’s devices
  
• EMM = manages the whole journey
  
• aloSIM for Business = provides the mobile data that powers the trip
  

With the right combo, your team won’t just survive the journey — they’ll actually enjoy the ride (and hopefully a free premium snack on the plane).