If you’ve been to New York City recently, you’ve probably seen one or more racks of blue bicycles bearing the name Citi Bike. For a small daily or annual fee, you can grab a bicycle from one of many stations throughout the city, ride it around, and drop it off at any other Citi Bike station. (Many other major cities have versions of bike sharing systems, from Paris to Denver.)
If you understand why this service offers value to city dwellers, you’ve already begun to grasp the concept behind Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS).
You’re probably already taking advantage of some form of HaaS right now, from your “free” smartphone to your office’s water cooler subscription. We don’t want or need to own the equipment, so we lease the equipment as part of the cost of the service the equipment provides. In the same way, HaaS empowers companies to work with key IT applications without the excessive cost or responsibility of owning the hardware itself.
As technology evolves and becomes obsolete at alarming rates, Hardware-as-a-Service can be extremely helpful to small businesses who want to compete without breaking their budget. With HaaS, the service provider owns, maintains and even upgrades the equipment, spreading the cost across your subscription in affordable increments.
Advantages of Hardware-as-a-Service
• Access to advanced technology at a reduced cost. By leasing the equipment for a modest fee, you enjoy the benefits and features of the hardware without the cost of owning it.
• No maintenance costs. When the service provider owns the hardware, they generally maintain it: If something goes wrong, it’s up to the provider to repair or replace the hardware—not you.
• Stay current with upgrades. The cost of replacing obsolete hardware every couple of years can be enough to drive some small businesses to the point of bankruptcy. With HaaS programs, both firmware and hardware upgrades are typically included with the plan as technology evolves and as your needs change.
Much of what the essential tech you need is now available as HaaS solutions. To learn more about these options, call our offices today.