6th March 2019 How to Keep your mobile fleet fresh
Whether a company is large or small, the decision to keep up with technology often comes down to expenditure. Holding on to older mobile devices may seem at first sight a good way to reduce costs. But it’s often the case that older hardware running software that might not have been updated will cost more in the long run. For IT departments, that can mean more work in terms of maintenance and fixing issues. In addition, it can also lead to more time trying to protect ageing devices against malware and trying to ensure that they are still capable of supporting business applications that are critical in terms of user productivity. Not surprisingly, older hardware and software are also more liable to be a security risk – prone to viruses and hackers.

Companies need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) which can be seriously affected by keeping older devices. True costs of a device need to include purchase, delivery, security, user support, repair and replacement. In addition, there is a clear value from the productivity gains that can be derived from upgrading to higher performance devices with better specifications that can complete tasks quicker and increase employee mobility. It’s impossible for companies to provide a true evaluation of the cost and values of upgrading without considering all these factors.

Of course, technology changes at a fast pace and with smartphones new models are launched regularly. However, there is a clear indication that people are holding on to their devices longer than in the past – on average about 21 months in Europe according to Statista. Cost is one reason. Another is quite simply down to the fact that there are fewer, new innovations to make the purchase compelling – smartphone hardware has matured to the stage where customers aren’t running into any major reasons to upgrade annually anymore. However, many consumers still want the latest flagship device rather than a cheaper option.

Exertis Daas offers unique opportunity

For companies, Exertis provides a great option to control, maintain and provide the latest offering to their employees in a cost-effective manner. Purchasing a fleet of handsets clearly limits most companies, as does keeping up with the latest equipment. With our Device as a Service (DaaS), companies have the flexibility of scaling the number of devices based on demand, refreshing the technology at regular intervals and outsourcing maintenance and asset tracking to their provider as a bundled service. For many companies, this can free up valuable time spent by IT in reporting and tracking devices. It also makes it easier for a company to standardise the handset and software deployed, rather than be faced with the issues encountered with a BYOD policy, and ensure that security management services like updates and patches are routinely deployed. For FDs, it has the advantage of moving from a capex to an opex model and freeing up cash for other investments.

With our DaaS offering, we have added in-life service and retirement to our services in an easily digestible format using a newly developed portal. This provides our resellers with a unique ID and log-in where you can get a tailored view of existing contracts and previous quotes. Resellers can pick and choose devices from Exertis’ mobile portfolio, filter by price point, brand, storage or other features and once selected, you can add a range of services. Special requests can be handled via a bespoke button. You can also get an estimate of the residual value of existing devices you might wish to trade in either for cash or as part of a future lease agreement. Both residual values and lease prices can be calculated on the system. The service is initially available for phones and tablets, but the intention is to add other hardware in the future.

Furthermore, the lease agreement is made between the leasing company and the end customer. Provided that the credit check is satisfactory, you get paid in full by the company immediately, improving your cash flow. In addition, the credit risk sits with the bank.

Finally, Exertis can support you with Android zero-touch enrolment – a seamless tool to configure and deploy corporate-owned devices. For further information on how to keep your customers’ mobile fleet up to date, ask your Exertis account manager.