More than half of EU businesses will move away from using large capital expenditure to acquire IT assets in 2021 in favour of more flexible procurement models, with mobility remaining an urgent IT priority in the wake of COVID-19, according to a report by 3stepIT.
The survey of over 1,000 IT decision-makers reveals that EU businesses are prioritising the ability to replace assets easily when making purchase choices, in order to meet changing circumstances.
The research also shows that businesses who already adopt a more flexible approach to IT acquisition were better able to cope with the disruption caused by COVID-19. 89 percent of companies that finance assets were able to make swift IT investments early last year, enabling employees to quickly make the shift to working from home. This compared to 75 percent of businesses that own their IT assets outright.
As businesses adapt and reset for the year ahead, IT purchasing strategies will be dominated by the need for agiloty, with 43 percent of respondents making changes to IT infrastructure to reflect the new business environment would be a top priority in 2021.
3stepIT CEO Carmen Ene said: “If 2020 was the year of nasty surprises, 2021 needs to be the year of planning ahead and minimising disruption. For many companies, the cost of shifting to mobile working required significant capital outlay, at a time when businesses are under unprecedented financial pressure. This traditional cash ownership model places a huge burden on businesses and is a fundamental block to better performance.”
She said cash ownership for IT assets just doesn’t make good business sense, especially when we know the many benefits that technology offers – productivity, creativity, collaboration – are achieved through access, not ownership.
“By prioritising access and flexibility businesses kick start a process of IT management that lowers the total cost of ownership, accelerates digital transformation, and offers greater flexibility, ultimately ensuring that employees have the right technology in place to drive growth.”
