Troubleshooting Common Enterprise Device Issues
- Matthew Long
- Oct 21
- 5 min read
When small enterprise device issues become company-wide bottlenecks
Every IT team knows the story. A handful of minor mobile issues; one app won’t sync, one user can’t connect to Wi-Fi, one policy didn’t apply - these small issues quietly turn into a flood of tickets. The fixes are simple, but finding the cause can take hours.
Enterprise mobility comes with complexity: different device types, network setups, OS versions, and user behaviours. The good news is that most device issues share common roots, and with the right MDM tools and a few structured processes, they can be fixed and prevented before they cause downtime.
In this article, we’ll explore five of the most common enterprise mobile device issues our team helps clients resolve, how to troubleshoot them efficiently, and how proactive management can stop them from recurring.
Enrolment failures - where setup pain begins
Enrolment is the first step in any mobile strategy, and it’s also one of the most common failure points. Devices fail to enrol, profiles don’t apply correctly, or users are prompted repeatedly for credentials. Inconsistent enrolment wastes time and often leaves devices unprotected.
Typical causes:
Expired or misconfigured MDM tokens or certificates.
Devices not properly assigned in Apple Business Manager or Android Zero-Touch.
Manual steps in the setup process, causing user error.
Network restrictions, blocking enrolment traffic.
How to troubleshoot:
Check your MDM logs for error codes, most solutions provide clear failure reasons.
Confirm that certificates and tokens (Apple Push, VPP, DEP) are valid and renewed annually.
Review your device assignment workflow, ensure every serial or IMEI is pre-registered in your MDM.
Pilot the enrolment process with one test device per platform before any large rollout.
Prevention tip: Automate enrolment through Apple Automated Device Enrolment or Android Zero-Touch so devices are pre-linked before they’re even unboxed. This turns setup from a 30-minute manual process into a hands-off experience that completes in minutes.
Connectivity issues - the root of most user complaints
If a device can’t connect, it can’t work. Connectivity issues are the single most common complaint IT support receives from mobile users and often the hardest to diagnose, because the problem could be anywhere: the network, the device, or the configuration.
Typical causes:
Outdated or expired Wi-Fi or VPN profiles.
Misconfigured network certificates.
Conflicts between personal and work profiles on BYOD devices.
Cellular signal inconsistencies in field environments.
How to troubleshoot:
Re-push the Wi-Fi or VPN configuration through your MDM to confirm settings are correct.
Test the same profile on a known-good device. If it works, the problem is device-specific.
Check certificate expiry dates and renew if necessary.
For recurring field issues, work with network teams to map weak signal areas and create fallback policies (e.g. per-app VPN).
Prevention tip: Keep all network credentials and certificates under central lifecycle management in your MDM. This eliminates expired configs, which account for a surprising number of “mystery” connection errors.
Policy drift - the slow erosion of compliance
Over time, devices tend to “drift” away from their intended policy baselines. A change made for one department, an exception granted for a single executive, or a forgotten update can create inconsistent configurations that gradually erode security and compliance.
When audits happen, drift becomes painfully visible - and sometimes expensive.
Typical causes:
Manual overrides by IT admins or users.
Unscoped MDM policies applying inconsistently across groups.
Devices excluded from updates or migrations.
How to troubleshoot:
Run a compliance report in your MDM to identify devices deviating from baseline.
Cross-check against your policy templates, is the variance intentional or accidental?
Re-apply the baseline and lock key settings from user editing.
For repeat offenders, create a remediation rule that automatically resets non-compliant devices.
Prevention tip: Schedule quarterly policy audits to review group assignments and configuration templates. This is the easiest way to maintain consistency without disrupting operations.
Application issues - when the tools themselves fail
Apps are the engine of mobile productivity, but they’re also a major source of frustration. Failed installs, missing updates, or app crashes can stall workflows, confuse users, and flood IT queues with repeat tickets.
Typical causes:
Expired or revoked app store credentials (VPP, Managed Google Play).
Version mismatches between app and OS.
Misconfigured app permissions or VPN routing rules.
Conflicts between unmanaged and managed app versions.
How to troubleshoot:
Verify that app deployment credentials (Apple VPP tokens, Managed Play keys) are still valid.
Check your MDM’s app status dashboard, look for “failed install” or “waiting” states.
Force an app re-sync or re-install, ensuring the correct version and permissions are applied.
Review VPN or per-app proxy configurations that may block app traffic.
Prevention tip: Use your MDM’s smart groups to push apps automatically to all devices that meet defined criteria (role, department, OS version). This ensures uniformity and prevents outdated or missing installations.
Data leakage and app isolation failures - the silent risk
When company data crosses into personal apps or unencrypted storage, you may never know until it’s too late. This kind of issue is subtle but highly consequential, especially for regulated industries handling sensitive data.
Typical causes:
Missing or misapplied app protection policies.
BYOD devices without proper containerisation.
Overly broad permissions for copy, paste, or file sharing.
How to troubleshoot:
Review which policies apply to affected devices, are app-level protections enabled?
Reapply managed app configurations to enforce separation between work and personal data.
Enable logging to flag when data moves between managed and unmanaged apps.
Conduct a spot audit, look for sensitive files in personal storage locations like iCloud or Google Drive.
Prevention tip: Always deploy app protection and containerisation policies through your MDM for BYOD scenarios. This ensures company data stays within the managed ecosystem and can be selectively wiped if the device is lost or the employee leaves.
Turning troubleshooting into prevention
The biggest mistake we see isn’t technical - it’s cultural. Many organisations still treat mobile support reactively: wait for something to break, then fix it. But proactive device management flips that approach. By monitoring compliance, logging trends, and automating responses, you prevent issues from happening in the first place.
Here’s how to shift your posture:
Create a device health dashboard: Track compliance rates, patch latency, and enrolment status at a glance.
Automate the top five fixes: For example, auto-push network profiles or reset non-compliant policies nightly.
Document recurring issues: Every fix you document is one less ticket next time.
Feed insights back into onboarding: Train users on the three or four most common issues before they happen.
With these habits, device troubleshooting stops being firefighting and becomes continuous improvement.
How our process helps teams stay ahead
We’ve helped organisations across utilities, healthcare, and logistics transform their mobile management from reactive to predictive. By standardising device baselines, automating enrolment, and aligning IT and operations, we reduce mobile-related support tickets by up to 40% within months.
Our approach isn’t just about technology - it’s about building confidence that devices will “just work.” That reliability frees IT teams to focus on strategic improvements instead of repetitive fixes.
Healthy devices, healthy business
Mobile issues are inevitable, but disruption doesn’t have to be. Most enterprise device problems are small in isolation, but when left unmanaged, they multiply into downtime, security gaps, and frustrated teams.
By investing a little time in structured troubleshooting, clear policies, and automation, IT leaders can transform mobile support from a daily grind into a seamless, scalable system that underpins productivity.
Want to simplify device troubleshooting across your workforce? Our experts can help you start building a proactive device management model that keeps your business connected and secure.
