Look At TCO When Selecting Devices For Field Service
By Ally Kutz, contributing writer
Total cost of ownership (TCO) can shed some light on the right choice between consumer and rugged tablets for field service.
Rugged devices have benefits for these businesses. Joanna Rotter of MSI Data writes in a guest column for Business Solutions magazine, “… those environments are often difficult to work in, including harsh weather conditions, areas with moving vehicles and equipment, and settings with dirt and dust flying around, those mobile devices tend to take a beating.” Rotter says rugged devices, built to withstand that kind of use, also can offer features like wet-finger tracking, outdoor readability, and advanced picture-taking capabilities.
But there is a difference in price, which makes consumer-grade devices attractive to organizations on a tight budget.
According to a case study in Field Technologies Online (FTO) magazine, public safety officials in Eaton County, MI, chose consumer-grade tablets. The article quotes Nathan Nighbert, network administrator for Eaton County Technology Services: “The theory behind inexpensive tablets was that if one failed, it would be inexpensive to replace it with a new one. They were considered disposable.” He adds, however, “Two years after deploying the inexpensive tablets, we realized we weren’t saving money because of the IT labor costs related to troubleshooting operational problems with the tablets.”
After deploying rugged tablets, Eaton County estimates the costs savings at about $1,900 per tablet.
A Business Solutions magazine article provides some insights from FTO’s Field Mobility report into what portion of the market is choosing consumer-grade devices. For laptops and notebooks, 37 percent say they use consumer grade devices, while 48 percent state they used rugged or semi-rugged mobile devices. When asked which devices they would consider for their company’s next upgrade, 61 percent say they would consider rugged tablets and handhelds.
The survey also shows 62 percent of respondents use consumer-grade tablets, and 32 percent use rugged or semi-rugged tablets. Of respondents using tablets, 94 percent say they will again select tablets when it’s time for a refresh, 7 percent will look at consumer grade laptops, and 7 percent plan to consider rugged or semi-rugged handhelds.