We keep our personal mobile devices—smartphones, tablets, and laptops—close by, so it feels natural to cross over to using them in the workplace. In fact, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) resulted from companies that recognized the ease and savings of having their employees come equipped with their own technology.
But do convenience and perceived cost savings outweigh the pitfalls of using a consumer device in the enterprise? Let’s look at the pros and cons.
DEVICE COST
A consumer smartphone has an enticing price tag, when you compare it to a rugged commercial-grade mobile computer. However, when you consider the long-term cost—not just the initial acquisition—you get a very different picture.
A consumer-grade smartphone lasts up to one year in a commercial environment, potentially less in a harsh environment, like a manufacturing facility. The price for the replacement device is dramatically more than the first one.
A rugged mobile computer that closely resembles today’s smartphones—like the Zebra TC55—costs more, but also lasts an average of three years, which provides a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than the consumer smartphone. The rugged computer is designed to withstand the bumps and drops to concrete floors that would destroy a consumer phone.
Then, factor in that the average device failure generates 80 minutes of downtime per user, according to VDC Research. A more reliable rugged device eliminates this waste and sparks greater productivity. Just a 2% boost in productivity generates approximately $3,000 in annual savings, per worker.
