Panasonic introduces TOUGHBOOK-as-a-Service: A unique interest free, monthly payment model for rugged devices

Panasonic today announced its new TOUGHBOOK-as-a-Service (TaaS), a unique, interest free, monthly payment model for rugged devices. Businesses can now equip their mobile workforces with any rugged Panasonic TOUGHBOOK notebook, tablet or handheld device without having to worry about large upfront costs in capital expenditure.

TOUGHBOOK-as-a-Service is an end-to-end subscription, powered by European digital services provider, Econocom. It allows companies to pay for their TOUGHBOOK devices monthly, over a three-year period. Uniquely TaaS subscribers pay the same as a cash purchase, even though payments are spread over a longer term – eliminating the need for large upfront costs and allowing organisations to benefit from an OPEX-based solution rather than CAPEX.

TaaS solutions include access to Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices, delivery, 3-year warranty, helpdesk support, and end-of-life services such as collection, recycling and data wiping. As well as the rugged hardware, customers can choose to add into the monthly payment, on the same 0%[1] interest terms, options for their solution including vehicle mounts, docking stations, specialist software applications and other device accessories, as well as extended and accidental damage warranties.

Customers can also choose to personalise their TaaS subscription with a number of optional extras, including a trade-in programme, which allows businesses to upgrade their technology without losing the value of their existing estate. TaaS also provides the ability to bundle in airtime, MDM and data analytics, for example.

Kevin Jones, Managing Director for the Panasonic Mobile Solution Business in Europe, said: “Our rugged mobile devices are transforming the productivity of mobile workforces in industries from retail and hospitality, through manufacturing and logistics, to healthcare and emergency services. Our TOUGHBOOK-as-a-service option allows organisations of any size to take advantage of our market-leading technology, with wrap around services to meet their needs, in a  more flexible way and without the financial burden of upfront costs.”

Chris Labrey, Managing Director at Econocom UK & IRL, said: “Panasonic’s range of rugged devices are extremely popular with mobile workers and employers alike. By powering Panasonic’s TaaS solution we can ensure these devices are now more available and affordable than ever before to a wider range of businesses. Our subscription models are a unique way for businesses to get their technology assets without having to make painful one-off investments, while simultaneously allowing them to update and refresh their assets with an unprecedented level of agility.”

The Panasonic TaaS solution is available now in the UK and Ireland and will be rolled out across Europe during 2018. For more information on TaaS, please visit: www.TOUGHBOOK.eu/TaaS

Our quest is to make technology work invisibly together and free businesses to succeed. We believe technology should just work. That businesses will succeed if they can simply focus on their customers, in the knowledge that all the technologies delivering their capabilities work together. That is why we are dedicated to developing products and solutions that are so integrated with our customer’s way of working, that they are almost invisible – the workhorse in the background that powers business success.

PSCEU is made up of six product categories:

1. Broadcast & ProAV gives you the freedom to tell the story with its high quality products and solutions, which ensure smooth operation and excellent cost-performance across a range of remote cameras, switchers, studio cameras and ENG P2HD. The cinema camera range of VariCam models and the EVA1 are capable of true 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) making them the ideal solution for cinema, television, documentary and live event production.
2. Communication Solutions offers world leading telephony systems, SIP terminal devices and professional ‘network’ scanners giving you the freedom to focus on the communication and not the connection.
3. Computer Product Solutions help mobile workers improve productivity with its range of TOUGHBOOK rugged notebooks, Toughpad business tablets and electronic point of sales (EPOS) systems. As European market leaders, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK had a 67% revenue share of sales of rugged and durable notebooks and Panasonic Toughpad held a 56% revenue share of sales of rugged business tablets in 2016 (VDC Research, March 2017).
4. Industrial Medical Vision manufactures applications for various segments such as medical, life science, ProAV or industrial. The product portfolio includes complete and OEM camera systems, providing the freedom to see what can’t be seen.
5. Security Solutions, built on a heritage of providing evidential quality CCTV footage. Delivering the highest image quality in all environmental conditions using our highly reliable, advanced technology cameras and image recording systems, giving you the freedom to feel secure.
6. Visual System Solutions offers the widest range of professional displays and projectors and allows Audio Visual professionals the freedom to create. It leads the European high brightness projector market with a 39% market revenue share (Futuresource >5klm FY17 Q3, excl. 4K & digital cinema).