Device as a service (DaaS) is a model where businesses can lease hardware, software, and IT services, rather than purchasing and maintaining their own devices. This model has become increasingly important as organizations seek to optimize their technology infrastructure while reducing costs and improving security.
We sat down with Falk Sonnenschmidt, SVP of Strategy at Everphone, to discuss the benefits of DaaS in more depth and important steps for successful implementation.
What is device-as-a-service (DaaS) and what are its benefits?
DaaS takes care of all the aspects concerning the device and its user from start to finish. In our world, that means we supply, update, repair, replace, refurbish and recycle mobile devices laptops for enterprise customers. The benefits of Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) include convenience, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility. With DaaS, organizations can avoid the upfront costs of purchasing devices and managing them in-house, as the provider takes care of everything from sourcing to delivery to replacement. This can help organizations save time and money, and also allow them to scale their device needs up or down as required.
DaaS also ensures that devices are always up-to-date with the latest software and security patches, reducing the risk of security breaches. This type of service enhances employee satisfaction by giving them the flexibility to choose the devices they want, while also making it more affordable for organizations to offer high-end devices. Plus, DaaS can support hybrid and remote work environments, making it an ideal solution for decentralized workforces.
In your experience, what types of companies benefit most from DaaS?
Professional service firms such as consulting, finance, audit, and law firms are some of the companies that we’ve seen benefit greatly from DaaS. Employees at those kinds of companies are highly dependent on their mobile devices, because they are critical tools for their work. Providing them with high-quality devices and incident replacement services therefore makes it easier for them to do their jobs – and it makes life easier for the IT teams that support them.
Another group that can benefit a great deal from DaaS are companies with large fleets of devices, such as retailers, production facilities, delivery services, logistics providers, and airlines. These companies often have a lot of turnover among their employees, and outsourcing device management can significantly reduce the complexity of managing, securing, and financing these devices.
Finally, DaaS can also be useful for companies that have a global sourcing strategy and want to manage their hardware and software across different regions and countries. This can be particularly helpful for companies with satellite or smaller offices that may not have local device providers.
Say you’re a J.P. Morgan-sized company, how can it benefit and serve such a large enterprise?
A large enterprise like J.P. Morgan can benefit from device-as-a-service in several ways. Firstly, by outsourcing device management to a single provider, they can simplify the process and reduce the costs and complexity of managing devices on a global scale. This allows for more automation potential and parallelization of processes.
Secondly, device refreshes can be scheduled every 24-36 months without the need for the company to allocate resources or cut through organizational needs. This can be done by the DaaS provider, who can also buy back existing devices from the company.
Thirdly, the rollout time and ramp-up time for new devices can be reduced by 70%, which can increase efficiency and enable employees to create more value in other areas of the business.
For companies that are ready to make the switch, what steps are needed to implement DaaS?
The process of implementing DaaS is relatively simple for companies. It involves a few steps:
Choose the right provider: Companies need to do some research to find a DaaS provider that meets their specific needs and requirements. They should look for a provider that can supply the types and number of devices they need, has a good track record, and provides the level of support they require.
Evaluate the existing device fleet: The DaaS provider will evaluate the company's existing device fleet to determine which devices need to be replaced and which can be kept. Customers will tell us what devices they’re currently working with, then we make a “buy back” offer, which essentially means we purchase their existing equipment and then rent it back to them. This rental model allows them to save on the devices’ upfront costs and take some risk off their plate.
Determine the rental agreement: The company and the DaaS provider will determine the rental agreement, including the rental term and the monthly cost.
Set up and distribute devices: Once the rental agreement is in place, the DaaS provider will begin the process of provisioning new devices and decommissioning old ones. This may involve shipping new devices to employees or setting up new devices in the office.
Integrate with the ITSM system: The DaaS provider will work with the company's IT team to integrate the DaaS solution with the company’s existing IT service management (ITSM) system. This will enable automated processes for device provisioning, asset tracking, and support.
From then on, it should be smooth sailing – employees can use the devices as normal and the DaaS provider will provide ongoing support for the devices, including troubleshooting, repairs, and replacements.
How can MSPs benefit from DaaS?
Integrating DaaS into their existing value proposition, while leveraging their in-house capabilities, can help MSPs greatly expand their business footprint. DaaS can offer a complementary solution to cloud architecture and workplace software services, as well as unified access management (UAM) or mobile device management (MDM) services. By partnering with a DaaS provider, MSPs can offer their customers a more comprehensive solution that includes device management, security, and network services. Additionally, MSPs can expand their business internationally by leveraging the global scalability of DaaS platforms.
From a security perspective, how does DaaS compare to BYOD?
In terms of security, DaaS is generally considered to be a better option than BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) for several reasons. With BYOD, the devices are owned and managed by the employees, which makes it difficult for the company to control the use of those devices. That can pose a major security risk – employees may not have the necessary security measures in place (e.g. software updates that contain important security improvements), and that can expose company systems to potential threats. From a compliance perspective, BYOD also makes it challenging to enforce adherence to company policies.
With DaaS, the devices are owned and managed by the company or a third-party provider. This means that the company – or its designated vendor – can implement and enforce security policies and solutions, such as MDM and UAM. The company also has control over the software and applications that are installed on the devices, ensuring that they are secure and up-to-date. Additionally, with DaaS, the devices are typically connected to a secure network, which can further enhance security.
What does DaaS mean for the employees as they use devices day to day?
DaaS provides employees a highlyconvenient experience, as it covers onboarding, replacement, and repairs of devices. DaaS also offers the option of co-payment by employees, allowing for higher-value devices that may not be in the company's budget. So, for example, if an employee needs the newest Pixel model in order to do their job more efficiently, they can get it – even if the cost would ordinarily have been out of the company’s reach. Overall, DaaS can improve the user experience for employees, while saving the company time and resources that would have been spent on managing device issues.
There are so many work environments these days, with in-person, hybrid, and remote. Does DaaS work better or worse depending on the setting?
DaaS works equally well in all work environments – in-person, hybrid, or remote. DaaS is user-centric and does not rely on the on-premises IT infrastructure, making it fully supportive of remote work. DaaS also enables a proactive support model, where the performance of devices and applications can be tracked and proactive resolutions can be triggered, such as deleting RAM storage, restarting applications, deleting certain applications, or patching the device, which is very convenient for the employer.
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