Doddle Enables Fast, Efficient Parcel Services with Mobile Devices and Apps Secured by MobileIron Cloud

26th April 2021

Our client

Since its launch in 2014, Doddle has helped thousands of the world’s most trusted retailers and carriers design and develop exceptional eCommerce delivery and returns experiences for customers. Doddle’s white-label platform powers the creation, rollout, and management of a full fulfillment ecosystem. The platform is designed to drive loyalty, create cross-selling opportunities, promote efficiency, and address the need for more sustainable supply chains. Doddle’s proprietary platform can be integrated directly with many merchant systems via APIs or through turnkey integrations with major eCommerce platforms.

Shortly after the company started, Doddle looked to technology partners MobileIron and Appurity to provide secure, cloud- based, mobile device management (MDM) and app distribution to stores across the UK. The company needed to support a mix of Android devices, including Samsung and rugged Zebra mobile computers, across all of its partner locations. Initially, Doddle developed and deployed a parcel service app which allowed customer service agents at store locations to facilitate package pickups and returns. By adding this convenient service, many retailers created a more efficient delivery and returns process, which improved customer service. The stores themselves reduced time-consuming manual processes and minimized returns time.

MobileIron powers Doddle’s highly scalable mobile infrastructure

Today, Doddle partners with major retailers and carriers including Amazon, DPD, Marks & Spencer, USPS, and Australia Post, as well as large supermarket chains such as Morrisons and IGA.

“More carriers and retail companies are looking beyond traditional models of package pickup and dropoff to scale their operations and stay competitive,” said Michael Bruch, Technology Operations Manager at Doddle. “Our technology platform, combined with secure Zebra devices and apps administered by MobileIron and Appurity, enable us to meet that increased demand by making it incredibly easy to facilitate package deliveries and returns in stores and other retail locations around the world. Plus, in 2020, the pandemic dramatically increased the volume of online orders almost overnight. Thankfully, with the support of MobileIron and Appurity, our scalable mobile infrastructure enabled us to quickly step in to help our global customers fulfill the demand with more flexible delivery and return options for their customers.”

Because Doddle was already using MobileIron Cloud, the company was able to rapidly scale to meet the needs of its global customers. Today, Doddle uses the MobileIron Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platform to configure and manage more than 1,000 Zebra devices. Appurity simply configures these devices with MobileIron and the end user powers up the “MobileIron Go” app on the device to access secure business apps.

Doddle securely deploys mobile apps through the Google Managed Play Store

With MobileIron and Appurity, Doddle keeps business apps securely deployed and updated on all customer devices with minimal user intervention. Android Enterprise, implemented through MobileIron Cloud, allows Doddle to make full use of Google’s Managed Play Store. By publishing custom and third-party apps through the Google Play Console, Doddle can provide customer specific app access based on an organisation’s enterprise ID. Doddle also uses the Google Managed Play Store to provide access to alpha and beta versions of their apps for testing, all while benefiting from Google’s global app distribution network.

“Thanks to MobileIron and Appurity, we’ve been able to build and customize our mobile device management policies, simplify device enrollment through Android zero-touch, create and deploy QR codes for multi-factor authentication, and more,” said Bruch.“ This means customer service reps can quickly start using the devices to process packages in a way that’s very secure and intuitive. The user just powers on the device, and the apps and settings they need are already there.”

Looking ahead: Expanding over-the-air updates and remote work options

To help make MDM even easier, Doddle plans to employ over- the-air device updates across all of its Zebra devices. To do this, Doddle plans to integrate all of its Zebra device licenses into MobileIron Cloud, which would enable IT to see which devices require security or software updates, which can then be pushed silently to those devices with no end-user action required.

“In addition to helping our customers provide more service options to their retail customers, we want to give our own employees more opportunities to stay productive wherever they work,” said Bruch. “For that reason, we’re looking into how we can leverage MobileIron’s capabilities to expand our BYOD options so more employees can work from home. In the current global environment, we don’t see that going away anytime soon, so we want to help our employees stay as productive as possible, as securely as possible.”

About Appurity

Appurity specialises in mobile and application security, delivering comprehensive solutions to legal firms. Mobile security is particularly important in the legal industry, where the threat of apps and devices pose a major risk and can leave firms exposed to attacks, compromising business critical or sensitive data. It is therefore vital that firms safeguard information in the cloud, whilst still ensuring data is easily accessible to employees.

Appurity’s mobile security solutions use the latest technology, harnessing the power of AI and machine learning. In an industry where fee earners and firm partners are adopting an app-centric way of working, our consultancy and implementation services enable firms to deliver fully secure devices.

As an Android Enterprise specialist and member of the Apple Consultants Network, Appurity can provide bespoke, end-to-end security solutions and services for legal firms of all sizes.