5 Most Common Smartphone Issues

by Stephanie Faris on Monday, July 17, 2017 12:00

Professionals rely more heavily on smartphones to conduct business than ever. In fact, one Gartner study found that 40 percent of the country's large-business employees use their personal smartphones for work. This puts a strain on IT departments, who face difficult decisions when it comes to supporting personal devices.

But whether they're issued business phones or they use their own devices, today's employees need to be able to access emails and receive phone calls on their mobile phones. Here are five common issues help desk workers will encounter regarding smartphones, as well as tips on how to resolve them.

Battery Drain

As your phone ages, battery life naturally decreases, which can be a big inconvenience to professionals who rely on their devices. After two or three years, purchasing a new phone may become a necessity for this reason, but there are things you can do to get more usage out of each charge. Under each phone's settings menu, you can access a battery section that will help you identify issues with battery performance.

Out of Space

Another problem that will only get worse with a device's age relates to storage limitations. Similar to battery drain, the key to fixing space issues is under settings. There you can determine exactly which apps are taking up the most space on the phone. Moving photos and videos to the cloud or a computer can help free up significant space, as can offloading music. If the end user has removed apps he or she isn't using and still there isn't enough space, check to see if more storage can be added with a microSD card.

Connectivity Issues

Few things can be as frustrating as a smartphone that continually loses its connection. Troubleshooting the issue depends on the phone's operating system, but if rebooting the phone doesn't repair the issue, it may be time to dive deeper. In many cases, the connection issue is only temporary, but if it continues, make sure the operating system is up-to-date and search for known issues with that device. In some cases, a factory reset and update could be just what you need to remedy the problem for good.

Syncing Errors

Another common frustration among device owners is an inability to sync with the apps they need to do their work. With more businesses relying on cloud solutions for their day-to-day activities, it's becoming increasingly important to make this process go smoothly. The fix depends whether your phone is Android, iOS, or another operating system, but it may require clearing your cache and making a few adjustments in settings. You may also find the issue is specific to the application being used.

Physical Damage

Inevitably, a help desk will be asked to deal with a phone that has suffered physical damage, whether it's a shattered screen, submersion in water, or some other issue. Whether your team decides to fix these issues in house or farm them out depends on your resources. Often a screen can be replaced for less than $100, but water issues for a non-water resistant device can be fatal. Have a plan in place to respond to these issues so you'll be prepared when they arise.

Professionals will likely only become more reliant on mobile devices as they grow more prevalent, especially with the growing popularity of cloud solutions. Your help desk should have plans in place to troubleshoot these devices, including keeping track of common issues and how to resolve them.