Should Your Organisation Invest in Rugged or Consumer-Grade Devices?

While some organisations might be tempted to supply their field workers with consumer devices due to lower initial cost outlay, rugged devices actually provide better ROI and lower total cost of ownership compared to their consumer-grade counterparts. 

 

written by Chris Turner, Head of Go to Market, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 

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All organisations need their workers to be as productive in the field as possible. They have to be connected to essential business applications and real-time data, so that they can operate efficiently – no matter where they are.

When it comes to equipping field workers with mobile devices however, organisations have a choice – they can go consumer-grade or rugged. While consumer-grade devices are the go-to within most organisations for office-based staff, when needing a device that can both withstand knocks and scrapes from use in any environment and operate comfortably in the field office, there are additional considerations. 

Organisations need to think about how their mobile workforce operate at their best and most efficient in any environment, and when it comes to investing in the technology that supports them, they need to evaluate the durability, reliability and performance over the lifetime of a device rather than just the up-front cost.

Fit for purpose

Workers who spend most of their day in the field are often performing in unusual, remote or harsh environments, where durability and reliability take on added significance. They don’t want their device to break if it gets dropped or knocked, nor their notebook to shut down when it gets too hot or too cold or too wet. And they definitely don’t want work and productivity to be interrupted by unreliable connectivity.

Consumer-grade devices are not engineered to perform in extreme environments. They aren’t built to provide continuous connectivity, withstand extremes in temperature, whilst consumer-grade batteries are not built to last a full shift, often requiring charging throughout the day. 

Consumer-grade devices also break more frequently. In fact, consumer tablets have been found to fail at almost 3x the rate of their rugged counterparts in the first year.

Field workers need reliable and rugged mobile solutions

Purpose built for workers who spend most of their day in the field, rugged devices are designed to perform beyond normal wear and tear. They typically meet MIL-STD-810H and ingress protection (IP) standards, which test for ruggedness and resistance to solids and liquids. Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices can withstand bumps, spills and drops of up to six feet in a physically active environment.They also handle dust, dirt, vibration, extreme temperatures and exposure to substances like oil, grease and caustic fluids. 

Rugged devices also have superior built-in connectivity, ensuring access to critical applications and data in real-time, no matter how challenging the environment. Frontline workers may struggle to stay in contact if they’re relying on devices that can’t connect in remote locations with low wireless coverage or can’t penetrate industrial areas with equipment and other structures that cause interference, reducing productively and potentially harming mission-critical operations. 

Consumer-grade devices are 28% more likely to experience connectivity issues in comparison to rugged devices. Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices are engineered with advanced, integrated wireless technology and embedded antennas to minimise, if not eliminate, interference problems and provide connectivity even where signals may be blocked by industrial buildings and large machinery. With hot-swappable batteries available, battery life is never a worry – even when running the most demanding of applications. 

 

Organisations need mobile technology in the field that’s easy to support

Consumer devices used in the field can also place additional strain on IT support teams. Consumer devices have been shown to have a 20% higher IT service ticket volume over rugged devices, making IT departments work harder to manage device issues and repairs. That’s not only additional overhead for IT, it’s also more downtime and loss of productivity for field workers.

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices have one of the lowest failure rates for notebooks in the industry. Other rugged competitors have been found to fail more than 4x more often and consumer devices fail as much as 7.5% more often.

 

Customisation is key

Choosing a rugged mobile device that’s engineered for business provides organisations with so much more than simply hardware. They are increasingly looking for customised solutions for very specific use cases from a true mobility partner that that can guide them through the design, testing, implementation and deployment of the solution – not to mention ongoing maintenance and servicing support – allowing them to focus on their core business proposition.

Opting for an all-in-one solution with a fixed monthly cost gives customers the peace-of-mind and ongoing support they are looking for, whereas consumer-grade devices will likely require additional solutions to be procured, increasing total cost of ownership (TCO).

This is why Panasonic’s TOUGHBOOK Mobile IT-as-a-Service offering is so powerful. Regardless of the required solution, it combines the durability of rugged, secure TOUGHBOOK devices with world-class design, manufacturing, testing, and services and support, to craft the ultimate tool for an organisation’s operations. 

 

Rugged devices deliver higher ROI 

Considering durability, reliability, connectivity and service over device lifetime, rugged devices deliver better ROI and TCO over their consumer-grade counterparts. 

Rugged devices are engineered with higher-grade components and customisable for a range of industries, improving productivity with far less downtime. Optimised for every industry, environment and mobile worker persona – whether it’s a forklift operator, MRO field technician or an emergency responder – the low failure rate, greater reliability and powerful connectivity of rugged devices such as Panasonic TOUGHBOOK ensures better efficiency for workers and the internal IT teams that support them. A win-win.

Therefore, while organisations might be tempted by the lower up-front purchase cost of consumer-grade devices, more often than not the better investment for the field is rugged. Mobile field workers will be happier and more productive, saving valuable costs in the long-run.

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