Why More Businesses Are Turning to Device as a Service

Buying laptops, phones and workplace tech the old-fashioned way can be painfully expensive. 

Large upfront costs, shipping headaches, endless setup time and replacement delays all add up fast, and IT teams often end up spending more time chasing hardware than driving innovation.

That's why more organisations are looking seriously at Device as a Service (DaaS), and according to a new Total Economic Impact™ study from Forrester Consulting, the financial case is hard to ignore.

Commissioned by devicenow, the study found a global business with 30,000 employees could achieve an impressive 89% return on investment over three years by switching from traditional device purchasing to a DaaS model.

Even better, the projected net present value came in at €16.2 million.

And that's not pocket change.

Goodbye Big Hardware Bills

Traditionally, companies buy devices outright, often paying around €1,000 per device before even thinking about shipping, international transfers and setup costs. Depending on where those devices are going, logistics alone can add another €120 to €500 per unit.

It quickly becomes a budgeting nightmare.

With DaaS, businesses move to a subscription-based model where hardware, support and lifecycle services are bundled into a monthly cost. No giant capital expenditure spikes. No surprise replacement panic. No finance director quietly weeping into a spreadsheet.

Forrester estimates this approach could save organisations €27.1 million over three years in avoided hardware procurement and logistics costs alone.

Freeing Up IT Teams

Ask most IT departments what they would rather do: strategically improve systems or spend hours staging laptops and chasing returns, and the answer is rarely “more laptop admin, please.”

Traditional ownership models mean internal IT teams handle provisioning, setup, support and end-of-life processing for every device. That can mean around 6.5 hours of work per device.

Under a DaaS model, much of that workload shifts to the provider.

The result? Around €4.6 million in IT operational savings over three years, plus more time for IT teams to focus on projects that actually move the business forward.

Less Downtime, Happier Staff

Broken, lost or stolen devices are inevitable. The real problem is how long it takes to replace them.

Under traditional procurement models, replacement can take around eight days. With DaaS, that drops to roughly two.

That faster turnaround cuts employee downtime by around 75%, recovering an estimated €2.7 million in productivity over three years.

In simple terms: fewer frustrated employees, fewer missed deadlines, and fewer “my laptop died” excuses.

As Christin Wehrstedt put it to That's Business: "DaaS helps businesses reduce complexity, stabilise costs and let IT teams focus on higher-value work."

Which sounds a lot better than arguing over who forgot to order the replacement chargers.

You can download the full study: https://devicenow.com/forrester-tei

SocialBox.Biz Urges London Firms to "Call Before You Scrap It"

As the UK faces a staggering £15 billion annual cost for replacing potentially still reusable items, SocialBox.Biz has issued a critical update to its "Call Before You Scrap It" campaign in alignment with Repair Week 2026 (2-8 March).

With new research from ReLondon revealing that 335 million reusable items are binned every year, SocialBox.Biz is specifically calling on companies in the City of Westminster, London Borough of Camden, City of London and also across the UK to intercept surplus IT, specifically Windows 10 laptops and MacBooks, before they are sent for energy-intensive recycling and IT disposals.

Bridging the Purpose Gap: Impact Plans for 2026

Recognizing that not every company has immediate surplus hardware, SocialBox.Biz has launched Impact Plans. 

These allow businesses without access to physical items to still increase their social impact and reduce Scope 3 emissions by sponsoring the refurbishment and distribution of technology to those who are in need.

“Repair Week 2026 is about making reusing instead of scrapping the norm,” the SocialBox.Biz team told That's Business.

“By choosing to re-use Windows 10 laptops rather than scrapping them, companies can provide a lifeline for the elderly, and the homeless moving into permanent accommodation whilst meeting their CSR mandates.”

What is the "Call Before You Scrap It" Advantage?

Secure Transition: SocialBox.Biz provides certified data-wiping, ensuring "scrapping" is no longer the only option for sensitive corporate data.

Scope 3 Reduction: Re-using and Re-homing existing tech with SocialBoxBiz is the most effective way for London firms to slash supply chain emissions compared to purchasing new

As Repair Week expands to cities like Greater Manchester, Liverpool, and Cardiff, SocialBox.Biz is ready to help UK businesses turn their old tech into engines of social impact.

"Don't let your impact be shredded," urges SocialBox.Biz. "Call us first at 0843 289 5722 before you call the scrap companies."

Case studies and the benefits of reusing before recycling and IT disposal:

https://www.socialbox.biz/news-posts

https://www.socialbox.biz/reuse-before-recycling

FACTFILE

SocialBox.Biz is a London-based Community Interest Company (CIC) dedicated to digital inclusion. Through tech reuse and Impact Plans, they help companies achieve measurable social and environmental goals.

Repair Week:

Taking place 2-8 March 2026, Repair Week is a nationwide campaign founded by ReLondon to encourage repair, reuse, and the circular economy.

https://relondon.gov.uk/resources/toolkit-london-repair-week-2026-partner-guide

Don't Bin Your Old Windows 10 Machines: London Social Enterprise Offers Better Option Than IT Scrapping

As companies across the our capital city, London, upgrade their IT hardware, a locally-based social enterprise outfit is urging businesses to rethink their disposal process for old Windows 10 laptops and computers. 

SocialBox.Biz is calling on corporate IT departments to "Call Before You Scrap It," offering a them a sustainable and socially impactful alternative to standard IT recycling and disposal methods.

The initiative provides a win-win for London businesses and the community by securely reusing functional tech instead of scrapping it. 

A win for the environment

According to SocialBox.Biz, reusing a single laptop can save approximately 316 kg of CO2 emissions, that's more than double the savings from recycling, by avoiding the energy-intensive manufacturing process for new devices. 

By donating old computers, companies can significantly reduce their Scope 3 emissions, contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy. A win for the community, too.

Beyond the environmental benefits, the campaign has a powerful social purpose. SocialBox.Biz provides reused computers upgraded with free open source software to vulnerable individuals who lack basic computer access, including homeless people moving into permanent accommodation, and the elderly living on small pension unable to afford any kind of computer. 

For many, this technology is a lifeline, offering access to education, job opportunities, and vital social connections. The donated machines are securely wiped and upgraded with open-source software, ensuring both data privacy and usability. 

Seamless donation for businesses

SocialBox.Biz provides a straightforward process for corporate donors, handling the entire process to ensure security and convenience.

Certified data wiping is provided, with a full chain of custody and destruction certificates for IT audits.

Devices are collected directly from offices across London and the UK.

Donating allows companies to build a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) profile.

A decade of impact

With over a decade of experience, SocialBox.Biz has a proven track record of creating positive social change through its tech reuse programs. Through long-standing partnerships with charities such as Age UK London, The Passage in City of Westminster, and the C4WS Homeless Project in Camden and others suitable reusable devices have already been distributed to those in need. 

https://www.socialbox.biz/homeless-support

SocialBox.Biz Calls on IT Managers for Spring and Summer Tech Donations

SocialBox.Biz, a leading Community Interest Company dedicated to sustainable tech reuse, launched its “Spring Clean Your IT” campaign for Earth Day 2025 this April, urging corporate IT managers and CIOs to contact SocialBox.Biz about the old but functional tech before scrapping. 

“We just ask IT Managers to call us first before calling the scrap companies so we can check what can still be re-used,” says the team at SocialBox.Biz, boosting social impact for participating companies.

SocialBox.Biz will collect laptops, MacBooks and other corporate computer hardware and tech across the UK, wiping data securely, upgrading with open-source software, providing tech labs, training opportunities, and distributing some of the suitable items to vulnerable groups via charity partners. Case studies donations have:

Helped an Age UK Islington job seeker secure employment read more.

Enabled Passage’s Lily to shape homeless services read more.

Reconnected an Age UK London senior digitally read more.

“Reusing tech cuts Scope 3 emissions and transforms lives,” Peter Paduh, Founder of SocialBox.Biz, told That's Business.

Companies like New Look, donating since 2021, exemplify impact. Join them by contacting info ( at ) socialbox.biz or visiting www.socialbox.biz to schedule collections. Follow @SocialBoxBiz on X to share your contribution.

Fasthosts urges small firms to work more closely with their tech suppliers

Fasthosts has revealed that 48 per cent of firms regularly make substantial purchases of new technology without being certain they fully need them.

According to the new research from the UK web hosting provider, data from 788 UK small firms found a huge divide in terms of success with using technology in the workplace. For 1 in 3 firms, implementing new business technology such as smartphones, notepads and computer software, has failed to improve efficiencies. 

Only 1 in 4 SMEs seeks advice from an IT professional. Furthermore, only 1 in 10 firms disappointed with a piece of technology has gone back to their technology supplier or IT advisor to ask for help. The study concludes that it is vital for businesses to plan technology investments properly, working with suppliers to ensure the correct systems are purchased to address the required needs. Firms can save money by evaluating their needs earlier in the process.

Fasthosts' 'Business Technology Audit' found that too many firms today struggle with the way they buy and use technology for their work. Whilst the vast majority are upbeat about technology, many find success with new technology items to be rather hit-or-miss.

A total of 35 per cent admit that their latest technology purchases have either led them to work longer hours or failed to impact their work efficiencies. Furthermore, only 41 per cent of respondents believe that staff find using technology to be enjoyable, and 1 in 5 firms employ staff who are frightened of receiving new technology. Some 48 per cent have indeed achieved more efficient or 'smarter working' through their use of technology.

Stephen Holford, Marketing Director, Fasthosts Internet Ltd, commented: "Busy business owners can struggle to find the time and advice needed to ensure all technology investments are well placed. A lacks approach to researching technology in relation to their needs can lead firms to waste money on solutions that simply do not perform”.

Alarmingly, only 11 per cent of UK small firms review whether a technology has worked well after every new piece is introduced. Only 1 in 10 disappointed with the impact a technology has made, has addressed this with either the supplier or IT advisor who provided it. Surprisingly, only 1 in 4 firms seek the advice of an IT professional before they make substantial investments in technology, a worrying trend which shows businesses should work with their suppliers before purchase to ensure they buy the right solution.

Holford added: "It is vital to plan technology investments properly, working with suppliers to ensure the correct systems are purchased to address the required needs. Knowledge is often the key, so contact suppliers to ask for advice, guidelines, case studies or examples of best-practice usage before an investment and on an on-going basis”.

www.fasthosts.co.uk

A CAST of Millions? What nasty IT costs are hidden at YOUR company?

Results of the new CAST Report on Application Software Health (CRASH) released today by CAST, the world leader in software analysis and measurement, reveals businesses are exposed to millions of dollars to fix technical debt – the cost to fix hidden problems that remain damaging risks in applications after they are operational – yet they are not budgeting for these costs.

“The number of software glitches, outages and security breaches reported in the press this year, and the damage they have done to the reputations of organizations like Toyota, Sony and RIM, not to mention the U.S. Government and a multitude of banks and stock exchanges around the world, have made problems with structural quality in application software a boardroom issue,” said Dr. Bill Curtis, CAST’s chief scientist, senior vice president of the CAST Research Labs and director of the Consortium for IT Software Quality.

“The purpose of the 2011 Worldwide Applications Software Quality Study is to provide an objective, empirical foundation for discussing the structural quality of IT applications and the extent to which they suffer from structural flaws. What we found were numerous problems that should have been addressed prior to deployment. It’s little different from ignoring termites that are destroying the structure of your home.”

The study is the largest ever conducted and used automated analysis to measure the structural quality of 365 million lines of code within 745 IT applications used by 160 companies throughout 10 industries. Five application software “health factors” were examined in determining structural soundness: security, performance, robustness (i.e., uptime) and the ease of software transferability and changeability. Using data drawn from the automated structural analysis, CAST made a conservative estimate of what should be fixed, focusing only on those issues critical to business cost and risk.

“Our findings, although conservative, revealed an average technical debt of $3.61 per line of code,” said Curtis. “A significant number of applications examined in the study – nearly 15% – had over a million lines of code which means even the smallest of those contains over $3.6 million in technical debt.”

"The pace of application development, innovation and modernization is increasing exponentially, based on Agile practices, Cloud, Consumerization, Mobile," said David Norton, an analyst at Gartner. "With every release cycle we run the very real risk of adding Technical Debt that we must pay back, it’s just a question of when. This is the ticking time bomb for the 21st century.”

Curtis explained that over one-third (35%) of the violations discovered in the study result in damage to business by adversely affecting the security, performance and uptime of application software.

“That means that while two-thirds of the violations found were destined to have a dramatic effect on IT costs and a company’s bottom line, the other one-third is even more critical as it has a direct negative impact on business performance.” said Curtis. “Technical debt creates a double dose of trouble because it siphons money from IT innovation to pay for software repairs. The consequence is fewer dollars left to develop new applications capable of providing a competitive edge to an organization and increased risk embedded in the new applications designed to create that edge. It certainly makes technical debt something that should be critically important to both CIOs and CEOs.”

Some of the more surprising findings in the study included the discovery that government applications carried 50% more technical debt than the private sector. “There are many plausible explanations for these results,” Curtis said, “Such as multiple contractors working on different parts of an application, and contractual disincentives for delivering high quality software. There definitely needs to be better software acquisition practices and management.”

Other notable findings from the study included:

· Despite assumptions to the contrary, outsourced and in-house developed applications didn’t show any difference in structure quality. The same was true for onshore and offshore applications.

· Java EE applications were the most prevalent among those studied and received significantly lower performance scores as well as carrying greater technical debt than other languages

· Established development methods such as agile and waterfall scored significantly better in structural quality than custom methods, while waterfall scored the highest in transferability and changeability.

· COBOL applications scored the highest in security, while .NET applications received the lowest security scores

To obtain the Executive Summary of the 2011 CRASH Study visit CAST Research Labs at http://research.castsoftware.com.

FACTFILE:

CAST is a pioneer and world leader in Software Analysis and Measurement, with unique technology resulting from more than $90 million in R&D investment. CAST provides IT and business executives with precise analytics and automated software measurement to transform application development into a management discipline. More than 650 companies across all industry sectors and geographies rely on CAST to prevent business disruption while reducing hard IT costs.

CAST is an integral part of software delivery and maintenance at the world's leading IT service providers such as IBM and Capgemini.

Founded in 1990, CAST is listed on NYSE-Euronext (Euronext: CAS) and serves IT intensive enterprises worldwide with a network of offices in North America, Europe and India. For more information, visit www.castsoftware.com.

Web site: castsoftware.com
Blog: blog.castsoftware.com
Twittter: Twitter.com/OnQuality

Source and Advanced Business Solutions survey of nearly 100 mid-sized organisations highlights key barriers to growth

IT systems integration and business intelligence are the biggest barriers to growth for upper mid-sized UK organisations, according to a survey by Sourceforconsulting.com (Source) in partnership with Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced). Source surveyed senior IT, finance and human resources professionals from nearly 100 upper mid-sized organisations.

The survey, ‘Firing the engines of growth’, was carried out in response to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI’s) recently-published report which claims that upper mid-sized businesses (those with 250 - 500 employees) are Britain’s “forgotten army”. The Source survey investigated the barriers to growth faced by upper mid-sized organisations, which are also the most productive sector of the economy, and what might be done to overcome these barriers.

The findings highlight that integration of IT systems is seen as the biggest operational barrier to growth: 59% of organisations said this was among their top three concerns and 27% said it was their single biggest concern. Most admitted that their IT systems have been implemented on an ad hoc and piecemeal basis with little thought for organisation-wide system integration.

Business intelligence - described as intelligent, automated analysis of data to drive decisions about the future - is the second biggest operational concern (18% of those surveyed said this was their top concern) with procurement proving the third biggest concern (put top by 14% of respondents). Other key operational barriers cited include document management and planning and budgeting.

Simon Fowler, Managing Director of Advanced Business Solutions (Commercial), says, “It is clear from the research that upper mid-sized UK organisations are struggling to grow due to issues with their IT systems, processes and people. Organisations are lacking the foundation for growth with lack of integration between IT systems proving the biggest growth barrier.”

The survey findings suggest that although upper mid-sized organisations can identify their key barriers to growth, they are not investing in solutions to these barriers due to a few key reasons. The first is that other organisational factors are being considered more important (cited by 79% of respondents). Secondly, there is lack of time to address the issues (mentioned by 73% of respondents) and thirdly, there is lack of money (cited by 50% of those surveyed).

When asked whether Government funds would encourage upper mid-sized organisations to invest in solutions to overcome their growth barriers, the majority of respondents (72%) highlighted that using Government funds for tax breaks would encourage them to invest. Respondents felt that Government funds could also be used to provide access to mid-sized business and IT systems advice, to enable senior management training and to offer loans to mid-sized organisations.

Fowler says, “According to the CBI, mid-sized organisations generate 22% of economic revenue and have the potential to inject up to £50 billion into the economy by 2020 despite representing less than 1% of all UK businesses. To achieve their full potential, it is vital for mid-sized organisations, especially upper mid-sized companies, to recognise and address their key barriers to growth. It’s also important for the Government to deliver funds and to provide the necessary support to enable investment before mid-sized organisations become the UK’s biggest economical disappointment.”