With the plethora of hardware choices on the market today, it’s difficult for any business—let alone small and mid-sized ones (SMBs)—to decide how to outfit their workforces with technology. Dozens of vendors and hundreds of devices make the choice confusing at best. But amid the slew of computers created for business environments has emerged a strong contender over the years: Microsoft Surface.
Microsoft Surface devices and their promise of zero-touch deployment are boons for businesses trying to sustain successful remote and hybrid-remote operations—especially SMBs. In a recent white paper, the International Data Corporation (IDC) discovered just how powerful and cost-effective Microsoft Surface is. Here’s what they found.
The Business Case for Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface is a portfolio of devices for businesses, and the IDC surveyed more than 800 organizations using Surface devices. Companies using Surface see:
- Up to $9,036 in total three-year savings and benefits
- A 2.8x three-year return on investment
- A $5,635 IT efficiency benefit across three years
- A $3,108 employee experience benefit across three years
Businesses discovered improvements across a range of categories, including direct savings through device consolidation, IT simplicity as the devices require less time from IT to deploy and manage, and optimized employee productivity.
Direct Savings
The report found that the overall direct savings of a Surface investment is $293 per device because Surface devices maintain their value better, they require 23% lower third-party support and security costs, and users require fewer accessories.
IT Efficiency
With devices that require less time to deploy and manage, Surface gives IT the chance to get back to more strategic work and deliver more value from its time. The IDC found that 44% those surveyed said Surface devices replaced multiple other devices, including desktops, laptops, and tablets. Consolidating devices in this way reduces the moving parts for IT when it comes to onboarding new employees and troubleshooting issues. Surface users also tend to have fewer technical issues—cutting that burden for IT as well.
As part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Surface devices deliver stronger cybersecurity and automated device management, simplifying IT’s job in multiple ways.
Improved Employee Experience
Surface users see increased productivity as they experience fewer technical issues and faster boot-up time. With premium devices and the most advanced capabilities, employees get more work done in a more efficient manner and have higher satisfaction scores as a result. Happier employees mean better employee retention.
Businesses also streamline the onboarding process for new employees—no matter their location. Surface devices as part of Microsoft 365’s approach to zero-touch deployment enable organizations to tap talent anywhere in the world knowing they’ll be joining a team aligned on the same technology. With your global workforce using the same set of devices on your secured network, you’ll rest assured your data and network won’t be compromised by rogue devices, outdated hardware or software, or personal computers with unsafe connections.
Choose Surface for the Strongest SMB Computing Power
It’s tempting to make your device landscape a bit like the Wild West: everyone for themselves using whatever devices they prefer. But this approach compromises your security, bogs down your IT department, and complicates managing your network.
The proof is in the numbers when it comes to maximizing your investment in devices for your business. Microsoft Surface delivers cost savings and sophisticated computing power, even for SMBs. At Point Alliance, we’ve seen SMBs thrive using these devices, and we’d be happy to show you how they can transform your business productivity. Get in touch to learn more.
