iStore Business Enterprise | Insights | SA Mac adoption surges as TCO, EX become top priorities

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iStore Business

Tags: Business and Productivity

Employee experience in a digital workplace - a key focus for business in 2024

Feb 27, 2024

Mac devices empower users.

Achieving a seamless digital workplace environment that enables efficiency and a good employee experience will be a top focus for CEOs and CIOs this year.

This is according to Sudesh Pillay, executive head of iStore Business, who says post-COVID, organisations are moving to optimise the functioning of the digital workplace. “Beyond simply enabling remote work, organisations are now integrating emerging trends and looking at how these digital workplaces function,” he says. “They are moving to accommodate employees who work anywhere, any time and across multiple devices. The environment they work in must be resilient and secure and support productivity. They must also offer an excellent user experience to attract and retain top employees.”

Pillay says the devices employees use, and the ecosystem around those devices, is crucial for supporting a good employee experience in a modern digital workplace.

He says large enterprises are using Apple to enable the next-generation digital workplace.

A big four South African bank running internal research found that among thousands of employees using Mac devices, there was a 90% user satisfaction rate, with a negligible 0.9% rate of in-warranty failures per 36-month cycle. Additional research found that for IT, Mac device use was associated with a 30% reduction in support costs and a 70% reduction of provisioning time compared with PCs. Mac use delivered a cost saving of 12% to 25%.

Pillay says: “Mac devices empower users. They need far less IT support and can get their own devices up and running in minutes. They enjoy excellent performance and reliability, which gives them a better user experience and allows them to be more productive.”

He notes that Mac devices are part of a larger Apple ecosystem that includes iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and other devices that integrate and sync seamlessly with each other. “This delivers a cohesive and unified digital workspace, which also enhances user experience and efficiency,” he says.

Changing the game with Apple silicon

Pillay says the Mac transition to Apple silicon has changed the game, further enhancing the performance and security of Apple devices. “Now, you have one company controlling the hardware, software, chip, operating systems and peripherals, meaning they work together flawlessly by design. This means you don’t need the resources a PC does to achieve enhanced performance, and the security of the system is automatically better,” he says.

“Apple controls the entire product ecosystem, meaning it is by default more secure.” He points to a Forrester Total Economic Impact report, which found that Mac devices are at least 50% more secure than other devices.

The report also found improved engagement, productivity and user experience among Mac users, reduced IT and operational costs, and a cumulative cost advantage for Mac deployments.

Pillay notes that Apple devices also offer the key benefit that they retain residual value exceptionally well. “This means an organisation can offset costs with a trade-in value of around 30% of the original cost of an iPad after three years, or around 60% of the original cost of a Mac after two years,” he says.

Boosting Apple benefits

Pillay notes that acquiring technology through iStore Business ensures that the benefits of the Apple ecosystem are fully realised.

“We have the experience and technical competency to properly assess the organisation's requirements, and recommend the right devices to deliver the best business value,” he says.

“Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, the client gets technology that is fit for purpose and will ensure optimal workforce productivity. Our technical teams will architect and integrate an array of technologies, security stacks and business tools to ensure our devices support productivity and user experience. We’re helping major enterprises design and build optimal digital workplaces,” Pillay says.

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