#BETT19 Targus joins forces with Tech Data to make #EdTech easier for the education sector to adopt

Targus, a leader in laptop cases and mobile computing accessories, today announces it will be joining forces with Tech Data, a global distribution company specialising in IT products, to support the roll out of its Tech-as-a-Service (TaaS) subscription services for the education industry. Targus will also be displaying the products from its Designed for Education range at BETT stand C160.

The digitisation of education means today’s education establishments spend a significant amount of money on IT tools and hardware to support teaching, improve productivity and facilitate students. However, technology devices come with short lifespans – the average life cycle for laptops is three years – meaning that they should ideally be replaced with newer models regularly. With limited funding, however, such an approach might not be feasible for most establishments.

TaaS is a strategic investment that can reduce the total cost of ownership while allowing organisation to regularly upgrade technology and ensure it is up-to-date.

Analysts at IDC report that an average repair costs approximately £130 and 6 lost hours per device. Comparing that to the average cost of a protective bag to carry and protect your devices, which is a much more affordable £7, brings to light the crux of the issue – organisations and educational establishments alike are paying the price by not investing in the right accessories to safeguard their valuable technology products.

The business case for investing in TaaS subscriptions is clear. Educators can benefit from a reduced cost of ownership, saving up to 30% on total cost of ownership of hardware and software solutions. They can get up-to-date equipment faster and more often to ensure they get the best from the technological advances available, all while being fully compliant with UK State Education Legislation. The TaaS subscription also gives education establishments full flexibility with their technology, training, services and maintenance, by opting for monthly or quarterly subscription plans, based on their needs.

The TaaS programme has made a big splash within the public sector, with over 43 schools and 17 NHS trusts already using the programme to procure equipment worth millions of pounds.

“TaaS is the way forward for the education industry,” said Marcus Harvey, Sales Director EMEA at Targus.

“In today’s digitally connected world, having the right tools & technology forms the basis of any successful education programme. However, the costs associated with owning the latest technology tools coupled with repairing damaged devices can cause a big hole in the pocket for education establishments. TaaS takes care of this in a cost-effective and hassle-free way, so educators can focus their time and effort on training tomorrow’s generation.”

“We are thrilled to be working alongside Targus to extend the benefits of TaaS subscriptions to the education industry,” added David Nelson, Services Director at Tech Data. “With technology evolving at breakneck speeds, educators need to be armed with the latest devices to provide students with the best possible education. We strongly believe that our partnership with Targus’ Designed for Education range of products will help educators achieve this.”

Key benefits of Designed for Education range include:

• Military Standard protection for laptop and tablet devices
  • Drop protection
  • Water resistant
  • Dust protection
  • Vibration Test
• Increased student and staff productivity
  • Integrate your technology devices into classroom and communal study spaces by connecting any PC, Mac or Windows with connectivity solutions for a productive environments.
• Making your ICT investment go further
  • Protecting your technology devices will extend their lifetime, resulting in tangible savings for your school.
  • Universal Docking enables you to create permanent, comfortable work spaces for students and teachers to connect devices to and even if you upgrade your devices, the workspace will endure.