By: Kurt Canova, President of Tech Electronics
At surface level, nearly all business owners and decision makers understand that adaptability is a useful trait – at least enough to pay lip-service to the idea of pursuing it. Buzzwords and phrases like “nimble,” “agile” and “turn on a dime” are nearly inescapable in the business world these days. But when the rubber meets the road, it is often human nature to emphasize comfort and familiarity, and lean on pre-existing plans.
However, one thing COVID made clear is that in today’s business climate, businesses can no longer afford to be slow to adapt.
More than ever before, technology is a key enabler, helping us achieve the versatility the world of today demands. The vision of One Connected Building provides connection between all building technologies. This connection enables both on-site and offsite stakeholders to leverage those technologies in order to collaborate, learn, grow and adapt as one unit, no matter where in the world they are.
COVID necessitated the last major technological shift in the business world, requiring rapid adoption of remote network access, advanced collaboration tools and greater cybersecurity. The next shift could come just as suddenly.
Given that idea, it is critical that businesses forge strategic partnerships with technology providers who eliminate the friction in staying ahead of the curve, while empowering leadership. The traditional model of technology acquisition – large capital purchases, slow advancement and limited service agreements – often does not make sense when change comes so quickly.
Fortunately, the technology sector is making an adaptation of its own. Technology as a Service is no longer only a software concept aimed at Silicon Valley monoliths and Fortune 500 companies. The future of building technology lies in the as as-a-Service format, and the future is now.
The aaS Advantage
The concept is simple enough: rather than buying technology outright, the as-a-Service format allows businesses to purchase a managed system for a nominal monthly fee. Anyone who has been in business long enough is familiar with the reality of spending thousands of dollars (or more) on new technology, only to face panic and frustration when it malfunctions or becomes obsolete within a few years.
With a Technology as a Service model, this struggle no longer exists. Hardware upgrades and replacements, maintenance, monitoring and helpdesk support are all covered by the affordable monthly fee, drastically reducing the burden of ownership.
However, the advantage of Technology as a Service is not merely in the purchasing model, or even in the structure of the offering. Even greater is the benefit of working with a partner who not only understands the technological landscape, but actively works to accommodate your technology stakeholders.
Ideally, the strength of this relationship often allows your technology partner to anticipate those needs before an issue arises, rather than reacting to the problem. In the face of massive disruptions like COVID, this ability is all the more important.
When stay-home orders necessitated that businesses transition to remote environments, millions of on-site technology stakeholders became off-site stakeholders overnight. Companies locked into a traditional technology ownership model were largely unequipped for this scenario. They were forced to scramble, and take on large expenditures just to get their businesses running again.
Technology as a Service customers, on the other hand, experienced the benefits of a Managed Systems Solutions Partner and faced minimal, if any downtime. In many cases, the ability to quickly deploy VPN remote access, video conferencing platforms and off-site cybersecurity solutions was the difference between success and failure.
While we all hope not to experience a set of circumstances quite like this again, it certainly won’t be the last time the adaptability of our businesses is tested, and in order to pass that test, the way forward is clear.
Enabling Decisive Leadership in an Uncertain Future
Viewed one way, the uncertainty of the present represents an intimidating challenge. However, if COVID has held any lessons for business owners, one is certainly that this isn’t the time to be indecisive. For industry leaders, uncertainty is not only a test of their mettle, but also an opportunity to adapt, and strengthen their business for the future to come.
Tech Electronics has always been committed to solutions that demonstrate their value for customers over the long haul, not just the moment. Technology as a Service allows us to provide customers with state-of-the-art technology and responsive service, packaged in a purchasing model that makes sense for an ever-changing climate. With that in mind, we will continue to roll out as-a-Service offerings moving forward, as we continue to work toward our goal of One Connected Building.
