Evaluating the Business Case
of Microsoft Surface
A Business Value White Paper, commissioned by Microsoft
September 2022 | IDC Doc. #US49453722
Megan Szurley
Senior Research Analyst,
Business Value, IDC
Randy Perry
Vice President,
Sales Enablement Practice, IDC
Tom Mainelli
Group Vice President,
Device & Consumer Research, IDC
RESEARCH BY:
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Evaluating the Business Case of Microsoft Surface
2
Microsoft Surface: The Business Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Executive Summary
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Market Context and Trends
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Introducing Microsoft Surface for Business
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Our Methodology
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Evaluating the Business Case for Microsoft Surface
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Value Proposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Reasons for Choosing Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Operational and Cost Advantages for Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Employee Experience Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Enabling Business Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Challenges and Opportunity
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Conclusion
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Appendix 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Research Overview and Firmographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
About the Analysts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Navigating This White Paper
Click on titles or page numbers to navigate to each section.
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Evaluating the Business Case of Microsoft Surface
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Executive Summary
Outfitting your employees with the right tools for the job has never been more critical. As the labor market tightens
and companies compete to hire and retain sta in a fast-evolving hybrid world, one of the most eective ways
companies are standing out is by investing in premium PCs for their employees. The PC is integral to productivity and
collaboration, and todayʼs products oer features and functionality well beyond what was available just a few years
ago. Companies have come to realize that buying premium devices can have multiplicative eects on employee
productivity versus lower-cost hardware, and the marginally-higher cost of a premium PC device represents a small
fraction of the employeeʼs salary. When choosing a premium PC for employees, an increasing number of companies
are choosing to buy from the portfolio of Microsoft Surface devices.
IDC conducted extensive research, inclusive of 17 in-depth interviews and a web survey of more than 800
organizations using Microsoft Surface and other PC devices, to understand the business case for organizations of
providing their employees with Microsoft Surface devices. IT decision makers provided survey and interview inputs for
this Business Value analysis; these decision makers span three continents, 20 private industry verticals, and two public
sector verticals. IDCʼs research demonstrates a broad-based value proposition for investment in Microsoft Surface
devices enabled with Microsoft 365 through value realized in lower total cost of ownership, inclusive of direct savings,
IT sta time savings, and employee productivity gains.
3-Year Costs
$3,238
Surface device, Microsoft E365 E3 subscription,
accessories, extended warranty and maintenance
3-Year Savings & Benefits
Up to
$9,036
in total 3-year savings and benefits
Microsoft Surface: The Business Case
$293
Total direct
savings
$5,635
IT Eciency
benefit
$3,108
Employee
Experience benefit
2.8x
3-year return on investment
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Overall, IDCʼs research shows Surface benefits are worth almost three times the investment costs over
3 years due to:
Direct savings through device consolidation, reduced spend on device peripherals, higher residual value, and
lower operational costs such as third-party support
IT simplicity from Microsoft Surface devices and Microsoft 365 requiring substantially less IT sta time to deploy,
manage, support, and secure
Empowering employees through optimized performance and highly functional features, which result in
productivity gains as the result of fewer security- and performance-related issues, enhanced mobility, and
deeper employee collaboration
“The Surface is a more premium device in our employees’ perception.
When they see people holding Surface devices, using them, it does help
with employee satisfaction and keeping employees around or attracting talent.”
IT PROFESSIONAL, GOV. ORGANIZATION, 5000+ EMPLOYEES
THE COSTS & SAVINGS
Over 3 years, organizations can save an average of $293 per device with Surface
(powered by Microsoft 365)
Surface Device*
Surface Laptop or 2-in-1
$1,355
Accessories
$344
Microsoft 365 E3 Subscription
$36 per user per month. License cost doesn’t change
across device manufacturers
$1,296
Extended Warranty & Maintenance
$243
Total Cost per Surface device
$3,238
(incl. accessories) over 3 years
$293
Increased Residual Value*
31% higher than other PC devices
$115
Accessories Savings
Fewer hybrid meeting accessories
(Camera, Lights, Headset)
$120
Reduced Support
23% lower third-party support & security costs
$58
Total Savings per Surface device
(incl. accessories) over 3 years
Costs Savings
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Methodology
IDCʼs research study was conducted from surveys and interviews between December 2021 and February 2022. All
respondents were IT decision makers at large organizations (250–5,000+ employees) representing organizations
from the United States, Australia, India, Spain, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Germany. Cost and savings
findings are based on average cost and time estimates provided directly by respondents; actual costs and savings
may vary based on your specific device mix and deployment.
*Data point derived from 17 in-depth interviews. All other data points derived from 800 survey results (700 Surface
organizations with at least 150 Surface Laptops and 2-in-1 Tablets available since 2019, 100 non-Surface organizations).
Surface residual value adjusted by IDC to reflect average after 36 months.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Up to 2.8X ROI with Surface + Microsoft 365
from $8,743 in additional benefits per Surface device
Device Consolidation
44% of organizations consolidated 2.3 devices on avg.
$3,756
Productivity Gains from Increased Mobility
+11.6 hours Employee-productivity time per year
$1,290
Reduced Ongoing Maintenance
40% reduced IT Sta time spent on maintenance
$810
Faster Bootup Time
32% faster boot time, 21% fewer reboots with Surface
$81
Reduced IT Deployment Costs
21% reduced IT Sta time spent on deployment
$42
Reduced Employee Time Lost to Helpdesk
+5.5 hours Employee-productivity time per year
$619
Reduced Helpdesk Support
49% fewer helpdesk incidents
$885
Meeting Time Saved
+7.7 hours Employee-productivity time per year
$864
Reduced Time for Security Incident Response
34% fewer security incidents
$126
Higher Employee Retention*
4% increased retention of Surface-utilizing employees
$105
Reduced IT Sta Time for Ongoing Security
3% reduced IT Sta time spent on ongoing security
$18
Faster Surface Deployment to Employees
27% reduced Employee time waiting for device
$60
Higher IT Training Costs
6% increased IT Sta time due to Surface training
-$2
Reduced Employee Time Lost to Security Incidents
30% reduced time waiting for incident resolution
$89
Total IT Benefit per Surface device
(over 3 years)
$5,635
Total Employee Benefit per Surface
device (over 3 years)
$3,108
IT Eciency Employee Experience
Evaluating the Business Case of Microsoft Surface
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Market Context and Trends
The last several years have seen dramatic changes in the way companies operate, how employees work, and the
ways IT supports the business. Some of the key changes include:
Shift to remote or hybrid work: As a large percentage of knowledge workers either remain in a full-time remote
work situation or shift to a hybrid mode that finds them working from both the home and the oce, their PC
requirements have evolved. Todayʼs devices must support a more robust online collaboration environment
(including quality cameras and microphones for virtual/hybrid meetings), excellent mobility (including good
connectivity, performance, and battery life), and strong security (including the latest biometric log-in capabilities).
Supply chain and demand challenges: Ongoing supply chain challenges, coupled with strong PC demand, have
forced IT departments to get creative as they work to support business operations. Often this means choosing a
single device that can replace a traditional two-device (PC and tablet) work environment.
Operational eciency: As IT has shifted to supporting a more remote/hybrid workforce, it has had to become
operationally ecient in terms of procurement, deployment, and management of devices. Forward-thinking
IT organizations are looking at ways to speed deployments, shorten maintenance tasks, improve security, and
enhance employeesʼ productivity.
Cost-cutting measures: As organizations face a more challenging business environment, many are looking to cut costs.
For better or worse, this often means cuts to IT, and IT organizations are then forced to do more with less. When this is
the case, smart IT departments focus on finding devices that enable them to cut costs on peripherals and accessories,
consolidate multiple devices to one, and lessen reliance on third-party solutions and tools.
Enabling the future of work: Ultimately, the goal of IT should be to empower employees to do their best work.
Todayʼs best devices are powerful, portable, and engineered to drive collaboration. Next-generation cameras
coupled with outstanding microphones make video calls more productive. High-resolution touchscreens with
pen capabilities enable the next generation of productivity. Fast processors, enhanced connectivity options, and
innovative form factors drive employee satisfaction.
Introducing Microsoft Surface for Business
Microsoftʼs Surface portfolio reached its 10-year anniversary in 2022. Over the years, Microsoft has entered the
modern workplace hardware market with the Surface for Business portfolio. Microsoft designs its Surface devices
for everyday work. Surface devices oer the performance for work, user-engaging displays, front-facing audio
and video for collaboration, and pen and touch for creativity, all in a bespoke, user-friendly design. The Surface for
Business portfolio oers a variety of form factors to enable work from the oce to the front line, from traditional
laptops to two-in-one detachable laptops and tablets to desktop PCs.
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Microsoft 365: Every Surface device comes with the latest Windows operating system, and a majority of
organizations using Surface pair with Microsoft 365 (from the appropriate SMB to enterprise SKU oering). For the
purposes of this study, we assume pairing with Microsoft 365 E3 (enterprise SKU) — Microsoft 365 E3 comes with
the Microsoft Oce suite, Microsoft Teams, and the latest Windows operating system for end users. Additionally,
Microsoft 365 E3 simplifies IT operations through its Enterprise Mobility and Security platform, which includes
products such as Microsoft Autopilot, Azure ED, and Endpoint Manager.
Our Methodology
IDC conducted an extensive online research survey with more than 700 organizations that have deployed at least
150 Surface Laptops and 2-in-1 Tablets released since 2019 and 100 organizations that are not currently using Surface
devices to assess the business case for Microsoft Surface devices. This research included organizations from
eight countries, 20 industries, and two public sectors. On average, these organizations had 60% of their workforce
using Surface. Additionally, IDC conducted 17 in-depth interviews with senior IT decision makers at Surface-utilizing
organizations to obtain a detailed and thorough understanding of the selection criteria, primary use cases, and — most
importantly — the cost, sta, and employee experience gains achieved through the use of Microsoft Surface devices.
All survey respondents were also IT decision makers at large organizations (250–5,000+ employees). IDCʼs standard
Business Value/ROI methodology was utilized for this project and is based on gathering data from organizations both
currently utilizing and not utilizing Microsoft Surface devices as the foundation for the model.
TABLE 1
Microsoft Surface Research Overview
In-Depth Interviews Online Survey
Sample description 17 in-depth interviews conducted via
phone
700 respondents using Microsoft
Surface + 100 non-Surface users,
web-based surveys
Geographical reach United States, Canada, Germany, France,
Spain, Australia, India
United States, United Kingdom,
Australia, New Zealand, Germany, India
Duration
~
45–60 minutes
~
15 minutes
Timing December 2021–February 2022 January–February 2022
Respondent profile Senior decision makers familiar with the
impact of using Microsoft Surface devices
on their organizationʼs device costs,
IT operations, and business operations
IT decision makers from IT, line of
business, and procurement
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
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Based on interviews with organizations using Surface devices, IDC performed a three-step process to
calculate net benefits and ROI:
1
Gathered quantitative benefit information during the interviews using a before-and-after assessment of the
impact of using Microsoft Surface devices compared with either devices replaced or other devices used by
study participants. In this study, the benefits included device-related cost savings, IT sta time savings and
eciencies, and employee productivity gains.
2
Created a complete investment (3-year total cost analysis) profile based on the interviews. Investments go
beyond the initial and annual costs of deploying and using Microsoft Surface devices and can include additional
costs related to migrations, planning, consulting, and sta/user training.
3
Calculated the ROI. IDC conducted a depreciated cash flow analysis of the benefits and investments for the
organizationsʼ use of Microsoft Surface devices over a 3-year period. ROI is the ratio of the net present value
(NPV) and the discounted investment.
IDC bases benefit and ROI calculations on several assumptions, which are summarized as follows:
Time values are multiplied by burdened salary (salary + 28% for benefits and overhead) to quantify eciency
and manager productivity savings. For purposes of this analysis, based on the geographic locations of the
interviewed organizations, IDC has used assumptions of an average fully loaded salary of $100,000 per year for
IT sta members and an average fully loaded salary of $70,000 per year for non-IT sta members. IDC assumes
that employees work 1,880 hours per year (47 weeks x 40 hours).
The net present value of the 3-year savings is calculated by subtracting the amount that would have been
realized by investing the original sum in an instrument yielding a 12% return to allow for the missed opportunity
cost. This accounts for both the assumed cost of money and the assumed rate of return.
Demographic information about the respondent organizations interviewed and surveyed can be found in Appendix 1.
Cost and savings findings are based on average cost and time estimates provided directly by respondents; actual
costs and savings may vary based on your specific device mix and deployment.
Note: All numbers in this document may not be exact due to rounding.
Evaluating the Business Case for Microsoft Surface
When considering a premium device like Microsoft Surface, research participants noted the need to justify their
investment. This required that they evaluate the impact of using Surface devices in areas other than direct costs;
if they could not demonstrate value greater than any incremental cost associated with purchasing Surface devices,
then other PC devices would be considered more seriously. IDCʼs research reported by respondent organizations
shows that Microsoft Surface devices deliver broad-based value to organizations, not only in intangible ways
associated with employee satisfaction and working style, but also in terms of direct savings and IT sta time
requirements. When combined, these values and benefits achieved by the organizations participating in IDCʼs
research create a distinctive value proposition and generate almost a 3-to-1 return on investment for organizations,
while importantly giving employees a capable, functional device they enjoy using.
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Value Proposition
IDCʼs research demonstrates how organizations can make a compelling business case in which investing in a
Microsoft Surface device as a premium device pays for its increased cost through hard cost savings, and additionally
provides $2.8 in savings for every $1 in costs when accounting for its benefits through IT eciencies (“IT Eciency”)
and increased employee productivity (“Employee Experience”). Figure 1 (next page) lays out the benefits for study
participants compared with the cost of Microsoft Surface devices.
It shows both the breadth and depth of the Microsoft Surface value proposition across various areas:
Direct device costs: On average, IDCʼs research shows that respondent organizations incur initial costs of $3,238
per Microsoft Surface device, including the cost of the device itself, a Microsoft 365 E3 subscription, accessories, and
extended warranty and maintenance.
Total direct savings: The overall direct savings of a Surface investment is $293 per device and includes:
Higher residual value: Microsoft Surface devices maintain their value better than other devices, resulting in
higher average residual value per device.
Reduced support: Respondent organizations reported Surface devices require 23% lower third-party support
and security costs.
Accessories savings: Because of the high quality of Surfaceʼs virtual meeting capabilities, study participants
require fewer cameras, lights, docks, and headsets and need to buy fewer third-party solutions to supplement
their device capabilities.
IT Eciency: Simpler IT operations and IT sta time saved are key benefits of this investment, including:
Device consolidation: 44% of organization respondents found that Microsoft Surface devices replaced multiple
other devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, etc.).
Reduced helpdesk support: With a premium device, Surface users have fewer technical issues.
Reduced ongoing maintenance, security incident response, deployment, and ongoing security: Surface
devices and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem oer users simplified IT operations, better cybersecurity, and
automated daily device management.
Employee Experience: Employees enjoy using a premium device, resulting in benefits that include:
Employee productivity gains: Respondent organizations reported that Surface device capability, fewer technical
issues resolved through the helpdesk, meeting time saved, and faster boot-up time saved accumulate to
significant productivity increases.
Higher employee retention: Respondent organizations noted that Surface-utilizing employees have higher
employee satisfaction scores and higher retention than employees who use other PC devices.
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$3,238
$3,108 $1,879 $3,756
3-year costs per device
3-year incremental benefits per device
FIGURE 1
Average 3-Year Costs Versus Incremental Benefits per Microsoft Surface Device
($ per Microsoft Surface device)
$9,036
Benefits 2.8x
higher than costs
$120$115$58
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
Third-party support and security solutions Higher employee productivity IT team eciencies (deployment, security, maintenance)
Higher residual value Device consolidation Fewer virtual meeting accessories
Reasons for Choosing Surface
Throughout the in-depth interviews and survey responses, study participants
consistently described that they chose Microsoft Surface devices not only to meet the
needs of their business users but also to establish more cost-eective and ecient
device bases. Based on real-world use, they reported that Surface has met these
expectations by delivering a dierentiated experience that generates significant value
from employee enablement and ecient operations.
Unique capabilities and functionalities — including pen functionality, LTE connectivity,
and the tablet capability — enabled these organizations to justify making the investment
in Surface devices over other options, even when Surface devices cost more as a
premium device over other PC devices. They concluded that employees with a Surface
device can generate far more value than the deviceʼs incremental cost premium.
Additionally, study participants focused on the longer-term cost savings and eciencies
that they expected the Surface devices would create. The combination of anticipated
employee experience benefits and device eciencies produced a compelling
justification for providing employees with Surface devices.
Interviewed organizations explained that Microsoft Surface devices are particularly
impactful for groups of employees who need powerful and highly functional yet
portable devices. The employees using Surface devices diered by organization,
Teams that both are mobile
and require the highest levels
of device functionality were
often named as Surface
users, with executives, sales
teams, and customer- and
patient-facing employees
named most frequently.
Study participants cited the
two-in-one functionality of
the Surface tablets, the highly
portable and usable nature
of devices across the product
line, and the ability to adapt to
employee needs, especially
those who travel and interact
directly with customers and
prospects.
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but teams that both are mobile and require the highest levels of device functionality were often named as Surface
users, with executives, sales teams, and customer- and patient-facing employees named most frequently. Study
participants cited the laptop and tablet functionality of Surface devices, the highly portable and usable nature of
devices across the product line, and the ability to adapt to employee needs, especially those who travel and interact
directly with customers and prospects.
Specifically, respondents highlighted specific employee end-user benefits yielded from their Microsoft
Surface devices:
Lightweight device with increased capability, mobility, and functionality:
“Surface devices are also ultra-lightweight, can be quickly turned into a tablet, and support whiteboarding using
the stylus. They are really good for our consulting sta as they hop on and o flights and get into taxis.”
Powerful travel device:
“We use Surface Pro devices for sta who travel extensively. For traveling, they are perfect because they are
small, and they are light. They have enough oomph, you donʼt need a lot of power to run them, and they have
good battery life.”
Practical, tactile device:
“We use Surface devices as a tactile tablet in our shops to welcome people entering the shops. We also use it
for events or shows or fairs or things we were organizing ... and for our telco technicians going into the field or
visiting customers. ... Our execs and leaders who donʼt want to have several handsets also use Surface devices
because they can show up in meetings and write on it and touch with the screen.”
Supports creative work:
“Our creative teams benefit from the fact that they are able to be anywhere and draw with the pen. ... For us,
thereʼs some overlap with mobility to be creative with Surface devices.”
Several organizations also cited the benefit of a Microsoft-manufactured device in terms of running and
procuring broader Microsoft ecosystems that drive their businesses:
Surface seamlessly works with Microsoft 365 and Azure:
“The Microsoft Surface tablet can replace a laptop because it has the full power of the latest Microsoft Oce 365.
... Windows also stays up-to-date, so we donʼt have to really do a pre-installation of anything. ... It also has an
interoperability with the Azure cloud because Oce 365 is configured there.”
Empowers Microsoft ecosystem further:
“Microsoft has made the whole ecosystem better, whether itʼs Oce 365 and Windows and Surface, better
together. Thatʼs my biggest thing weʼve seen from our customers. Weʼve been using Oce 365 since 2015.
But recently, weʼve seen the shift in Surface. Itʼs more of an ecosystem with Windows and Oce together.”
Operational and Cost Advantages for Surface
As a premium device, Surface oers features and functionalities appreciated by the employees who use them and the
enterprises that run and support them. Study participants cited several advantages of their Microsoft Surface devices
that deliver both tangible and intangible benefits to their organizations.
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The most frequently mentioned advantages of Surface devices were:
Strong performance and capability that enable a more continuous work experience with reduced downtime
Features such as stylus pens and robust two-in-one functionality that enable flexible, creative, and
collaborative work
The sleek design and perceived “cool” factor that contribute to employee morale and satisfaction
Seamless functionality with the Microsoft ecosystem (Microsoft 365) that ensures strong functionality for
employees and a strong user experience
Automated patching and updating to minimize cybersecurity-related risk
Fewer third-party software requirements and faster deployments that simplify IT operations
These benefits of Surface devices create a more unified, streamlined, and captivating experience, which yields
benefits for device users, teams providing support, and their organizations-at-large.
For employees, Microsoft Surface devices help them do their jobs better by not only enabling greater flexibility
and capabilities but also providing an unquantifiable benefit: They truly enjoy their Surface devices. Study participants
consistently spoke to the value of having high-performing, light, two-in-one devices that travel well, and they
additionally praised Surface devices for seamless functionality with Microsoft ecosystems and high-quality
built-ins such as cameras and pens. Even though 52% of Surface users were oce workers, interviewed organizations
described Surface as the optimized device for the work-from-anywhere workforce. Specifically, one organization
spoke highly about the mobility included with Surface devices:
“If end users are sitting on a plane, it matters because itʼs just a bit smaller. You can use it without a keyboard, and
you can just touch on the glass; that makes it a lot easier. If you just want to read through a longer report and work,
you use it as a tablet. If you need to make minor corrections, you can do it on the glass. If you want to highlight
something, use the pen. For traveling, thereʼs nothing better than that. But as soon as they sit down in the hotel
room or at a desk at an oce, itʼs just like having any other laptop.”
IDCʼs research reveals that respondent organizations with Microsoft Surface devices have the ability to reduce the
overall costs of deploying and running devices, which justifies the potential additional cost of the premium product.
These cost benefits reflect the fact that buying, deploying, and supporting devices require organizations to take on a
much broader array of costs than just the cost of the device itself. These benefits resonate most clearly with corporate
teams responsible for purchasing and supporting devices, including IT, procurement, finance, and heads of other
departments. IDCʼs research demonstrates that the premium engineering, design, and features of Microsoft Surface
create a higher-quality and more ecient device that retains its value better than other PC devices.
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Surface Device*
Surface Laptop or 2-in-1
$1,355
Accessories
$344
Microsoft 365 E3 Subscription
$36 per user per month. License cost doesn’t change
across device manufacturers
$1,296
Extended Warranty & Maintenance
$243
Total Cost per Surface device
$3,238
(incl. accessories) over 3 years
$293
Increased Residual Value*
31% higher than other PC devices
$115
Accessories Savings
Fewer hybrid meeting accessories
(Camera, Lights, Headset)
$120
Reduced Support
23% lower third-party support & security costs
$58
Total Savings per Surface device
(incl. accessories) over 3 years
Costs Savings
For study participants, this generates IT-related cost savings in two key areas:
1
Device and infrastructure costs: Surface devices often cost more than other devices organizations consider,
but IDCʼs research shows that the incremental additional costs to respondent organizations are quickly
overcome by savings from reduced peripheral costs, device consolidation, and reduced need for third-party
solutions and tools.
2
Sta time costs for deployment, management, and support: Respondent organizations reported that when
paired with Microsoft 365, Surface devices require less IT sta time along every step of the device lifecycle,
from deployment to management to support from its Enterprise Mobility and Security Products, such as
Endpoint Manager and AutoPilot. These eciencies, which are driven by built-in automation and stronger
overall performance, deliver substantial time savings, which organizations leverage to free up highly skilled IT
teams to focus on other projects and activities and to lower the total cost of running devices.
Device and Infrastructure Cost Savings
1. Device Consolidation Cost Savings
IDCʼs research from respondent organizations shows that one of the most significant cost advantages of Surface
comes from organizationsʼ ability to consolidate devices, with the two-in-one functionality especially replacing
the need for separate laptop and tablet devices. Study participants take advantage of Surface devicesʼ form-
factor flexibility, portability, and strong performance to move employees from two or more devices onto a single
Microsoft Surface device. One study participant commented, “We made desktops obsolete with Surface devices.
Probably 80% of our Surface users had desktops as well as laptops.”
As shown in Table 2 (next page), IDCʼs research shows 44% of organizations surveyed reported that each Surface
device consolidated an average of 2.32 devices. In fact, 26% of those organizations reported that they had
consolidated three or more devices for each Surface device purchased. These device-use eciencies add up to
significant cost savings across an enterprise that has hundreds or thousands of devices.
*Data point derived from 17 in-depth interviews. All other data points derived from 800 survey results (700 Surface organizations with at least 150 Surface Laptop and 2-in-1 Tablets
available since 2019, 100 non-Surface organizations). Surface Residual Value adjusted by IDC to reflect average after 36 months.
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TABLE 2
Device Consolidation Benefits with Microsoft Surface
Impact of Surface Devices
Percentage of organizations consolidating devices with Microsoft Surface 44%
Of organizations consolidating:
Two devices into one device 74%
Three devices into one device 20%
Four devices into one device 6%
Average devices replaced by Surface for organizations consolidating 2.32
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
2. Increased Residual Value
IDCʼs research from respondent organizations shows that Microsoft Surface devices hold their value better than
other devices. This means that when organizations retire devices, they can oset more of the cost of new devices
when they relinquish their used Surface devices. On average, IDCʼs research shows that respondent organizations
realized a higher residual value of $492 per Surface device, compared with $376 per other PC device.
This equates to a 31% higher residual value on average, or $115 per Surface device.
3. Reduced Third-Party Support
Surface users were able to reduce the costs of third-party support for deployment and annual management
services. In addition, 25% retired/avoided burying any security solution(s) and/or third-party service, saving a total
of $58 per Surface device over 3 years.
TABLE 3
Reduced Third-Party Support and Security Costs with Microsoft Surface
Reduced Third-Party Software Benefit Average Cost Savings per Surface device
One-time Deployment-related third-party support $2
Annual third-party ongoing management $5
Annual security solution(s) and/or third-party services $14
Total 3-year cost savings per device $58
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
4. Accessories Savings
One of the first cost savings for organizations using Microsoft Surface devices is the reduced need to purchase
additional peripherals. The high-quality built-in Surface cameras, speakers, and microphones can mitigate the
need to purchase these items separately. Overall, 63% of organizations have avoided the purchase of peripheral
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devices with Surface; as shown in Table 4, more than half of the organizations avoiding peripheral purchases
reported no longer separately purchasing cameras (79% at $127 per camera), lights (65% at $50 per light), or
headsets (50% at $115 per headset). One study participant explained, “Before Surface devices, we bought a
webcam for every single desktop user at like $80 each, so with 1,000 desktops, we saved $80,000 last year.”
At an average cost of between $50 and $127 per peripheral, these avoided costs often quickly make up for any
additional cost of Surface devices.
TABLE 4
Accessories Savings (65% of organizations avoided purchasing one or more peripheral)
Peripheral Device
% No Longer Purchased
for Surface Users Cost per Peripheral
Average Cost Savings
per Surface Device
Camera 79% $127 $63
Light 65% $50 $20
Headset 50% $115 $37
Total cost savings per device $120
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
IT Eciency
Beyond direct cost savings, IDCʼs research also shows that respondent organizations benefited significantly from IT
sta time savings and eciencies with Surface devices paired with Microsoft 365. This is an important gain because
IT sta time spent on activities such as deployment, management, support, and security not only carries a time cost
but also represents sta resources not otherwise available to support other IT and business initiatives.
IDCʼs research found five core areas in which organizations reported time savings with Surface devices
and Microsoft 365 once they had completed training eorts:
Device deployment: Study participants leverage zero-touch deployment powered by Microsoft AutoPilot and
other automation tools to deliver new laptops to employees faster and reduce the amount of sta time required
on a per-device basis.
Maintenance: Organizations take advantage of automated patching and other updates through Intune
Management to reduce the amount of sta time required to manage and administer employee devices on a
day-to-day basis.
Security: Study participants reduce the risk of cybersecurity attacks and lower sta time spent monitoring and
assessing risks through features such as Secure Boot and automated firmware updates.
Helpdesk/support: Organizations can devote less IT sta time responding to and supporting employees with
Surface device–related problems compared with that of other PC devices.
Security incident response: Study participants incur fewer impactful security breaches and events with Surface
devices, thus not only lessening the IT sta time necessary to handle these types of incidents but also reducing
operational interruption risks.
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Interviewed organizations provided examples of how Surface devices compare favorably with other
devices in terms of IT sta time required:
Faster deployment:
“Surface devices get imaged faster because everything is on the cloud ... so you donʼt have to transfer data.
The employee will pick it up from there, so it definitely saves time.”
Seamless Microsoft 365 functionality:
“Itʼs easier to maintain Surface devices because they fit with the whole Microsoft ecosystem, so itʼs easy to patch
for our applications and tools.”
Premium engineering:
“Device support is a lot easier for us with Surface devices because all the units are the same. ... It also goes back
to the better construction of the device so weʼre running into fewer issues — weʼre spending around two hours a
month now because someone dropped their device compared with 10–15 hours per month previously.”
Table 5 shows the extent to which organizations reduce the amount of IT sta time required for these device-related
activities. Benefits are most pronounced for ongoing maintenance and support, for which Surface devices require
40% and 44% less sta time, respectively, than other PC devices. Security incident response (29%) and deployment
(21%) are also significant benefits, adding to the cross-lifecycle eciencies of Surface devices reported. Overall, IDC
calculates the Surface devices of respondent organizations require 35% less sta time than other devices, which
equates to time savings of an average of almost 12 hours per device per year and a value of $1,879 in sta eciencies
per device over 3 years, based on an assumed average fully burdened IT salary of $53 per hour.
TABLE 5
IT Sta Time Savings
Other
Devices
(Hours)
Microsoft
Surface Devices
(Hours)
Dierence
(Hours)
3-Year
Benefit
($)
Percentage
Eciency
Reduced helpdesk support (annual)
12.7 7.2 5.5 $885 34%
Reduced ongoing maintenance (annual)
12.6 7.5 5.1 $810 40%
Reduced time for security incident
response (annual)
2.8 2.0 0.8 $126 29%
Reduced IT deployment costs
(one-time)
4.5 3.7 0.8 $42 17%
Reduced IT sta time for ongoing
security (annual)
3.8 3.7 0.1 $18 3%
Higher IT training costs (one-time) $32 $34
–
($2) -6%
Total 3-year IT sta time savings benefit
per device
– – –
$1,879 35%
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
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Improved Device Security Benefits
Security breaches count among the most feared occurrences organizations face
because of the major costs they can incur, whether in terms of stolen personal
information, reputational damage, or business interruption. Recent years have provided
numerous examples of the significant damage that security-related events such as
customer data loss or ransomware attacks can have on a companyʼs business activities
and reputation. IDCʼs research shows that study participants link the reduced frequency
and business impact of security incidents to their use of Microsoft Surface devices.
One interviewed organization commented, “Security and simplicity for management is
the biggest benefit of Surface devices.”
As shown in Table 7 (next page), strong built-in security functionalities and consistent,
automated firmware updates help organizations reduce the frequency of impactful
security events aecting devices by an average of 34%. This in turn means that
employees face less lost time due to malicious security events that require an average
of more than 40 hours to fully address, saving each employee an average of 0.8 hours
per year with Surface and Microsoft 365, a 30% reduction in lost productivity due to
security incidents.
Reduced Helpdesk Support Benefits
Table 6 shows how respondent organizations see fewer helpdesk incidents generated by Microsoft Surface devices
when compared with other PC devices. On average, Surface devices generate 49% fewer helpdesk tickets, reducing
the IT sta time related to resolving helpdesk incidents – both in helpdesk calls and deskside support – by 44%.
Security and simplicity for
management is the biggest
benefit of Surface devices.
TABLE 6
Benefits from Reduced Helpdesk Incident Support
Helpdesk/Service Desk Response Other Devices
Microsoft
Surface Devices Dierence
Percentage
Eciency
Incidents per device per month
0.45 0.23 0.22 49%
Time for call and resolution (hours) 0.88 0.94 -0.06 -9%
Lost time due to helpdesk calls per
year (hours)
4.76 2.59 2.16 46%
Lost time in deskside support per
year (hours)
7.98 4.61 3.37 42%
Total annual IT sta time saved
due to fewer helpdesk incidents
per device (hours)
12.74 7.2 5.54 44%
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
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TABLE 7
Impact on Security Incidents
Other
Devices
Microsoft
Surface Devices Dierence
Percentage
Eciency
Incidents per year per device
0.16 0.11 0.05 34%
Average time to resolve a
security breach (hours)
42.2 45.2 (3.0) -7%
Average % of users impacted per
security breach
41% 41% – –
Total annual IT sta time saved
due to fewer security incidents
per device (hours)
2.76 1.95 0.82 30%
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
Employee Experience Benefits
IDCʼs research from respondent organizations also demonstrates that Microsoft Surface
devices generate substantial value through employee engagement benefits that lead to
higher productivity and ultimately better business results. These benefits, which relate
to improved device use, performance, and security, could be classified as “softer” in
nature, but such classification would be misleading. Interviewed organizations stated
clearly that they view these benefits that maximize the end-user employee experience,
productivity, and capability as an essential element of the value proposition of Surface
devices. For organizations, these employee engagement benefits result in happier
and more motivated employees, better use of time on a day-to-day basis, improved
communication and collaboration, and greater synergy between employeesʼ devices
and what employees set out to accomplish for their organizations daily. In-depth
interview participants reported that Surface device users have an average turnover rate
of 4% less than employees who use other PC devices. Given the current challenges and
increasing costs of making new hires, employers benefit from both increased business
continuity and hiring-related cost avoidance when they retain more of their best
employees.
Direct End-User Productivity Gains
IDCʼs research shows that employees of respondent organizations are more productive
with a Surface device over another PC device because of Surfaceʼs better capability
and its functionality with Microsoft 365. In particular, the quality of Surface devices
means employees have more time to be productive, since they experience fewer
device-related outages and problems that require IT intervention. These employee time
savings may appear small on a case-by-case basis over the short term, but they add up
across weeks, months, and years and accumulate to significant time savings.
Interviewed organizations
stated clearly that they
view these benefits as an
essential element of the
value proposition of Surface
devices.
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IDCʼs research shows respondent organizations realized direct end-user
productivity gains with Surface devices and Microsoft 365 related to several
factors:
Increased mobility: Study participants noted mobility benefits derived from
Surface devices being lightweight in terms of design and having LTE capabilities.
Reduced device troubleshooting: This results in fewer helpdesk tickets and
reduced overall helpdesk resolution time for Surface devices compared with
other PC devices.
Faster device deployment: Using Surface devices, AutoPilot, and Zero Touch
Deployment, employees can begin working at full productivity sooner than with
other PC devices.
Improved device security: Devices and IT networks are less vulnerable and
employees face less risk of malware or other cyberattacks that could result in
unusable devices or, worse, company-wide technology issues. Forty-four percent
of organizations cited improved security as a business outcome benefit of Surface.
Faster device deployment: Study participants reported that it takes less time to
deploy a Surface device and get it ready for use.
Faster and more responsive devices: Faster device start-ups and fewer reboots
allow employees to begin working with immediacy, a critical asset for a highly
mobile device.
Table 8 (next page) presents IDCʼs findings about the impact of Surface devices on
these areas of direct employee productivity. As shown, IDC finds that employees of
respondent organizations who utilize Surface devices yield direct productivity gains of
almost 28 hours per device per year, which represents a 39% eciency in these areas
compared with other devices. Over 3 years, this generates additional value through
increased end-user productivity ($3,003 on average per device), demonstrating the
substantial impact that Surface devices have on how employees work.
Surface devices give our
sta a lot more flexibility.
They are not tethered or
tied to their oce. ... They
are able to interact with
customers and internal
stakeholders more
eectively because they are
able to be mobile.
Surface devices are faster
because when you enter
somebodyʼs home or visit
a customer, you have the
tablet in your hand, and
then you just open it and itʼs
instantaneous. ... The way
they move between specific
applications that have
been developed for them
and maybe more generic
applications is very good.
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TABLE 8
Productivity Benefits for End-User Employees
Other Devices
(Hours)
Microsoft Surface
Devices (Hours)
Dierence
(Hours)
3-Year
Benefit ($)
Percentage
Eciency
Productivity fains from
increased mobility (annual)
– 11.6 11.6 $1,290 –
Reduced employee time
lost to helpdesk (annual)
12.7 7.2 5.5 $619 43%
Meeting time saved
(annual)
118 110
7.7 $864 7%
Reduced employee time
lost to security incidents
(annual)
2.8 2.0 0.8 $89 29%
Faster Surface deployment
to employees (one-time)
6.1 4.5 1.6 $60 26%
Faster boot-up time
(annual)
1.9 1.2 0.7 $81 37%
Total 3-year employee
eciency benefit per
device
– –
27.9 $3,003 –
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
Note:
Increased mobility benefit derived from the absolute productivity increases of Surface from respondent organizations. All other increased-productivity calculations derived
comparatively from time spent on Surface versus another PC device.
Employee Engagement and Retention
Many interviewed organizations reported that their employees simply enjoy working
with Surface devices more. A number of them attributed this to the indefinable “cool”
factor, which, although hard to quantify, certainly matters, given that employees
spend most of their time with these devices on a day-in-day-out basis. As stated by
one organization, “Microsoft Surface devices are just cooler. End users feel better
about using them, and as a result, they are more productive.” Another interviewed
organization commented, “Our employees like Surface devices. They look nice,
are lighter, and come up faster from standby. So, all around, we get pretty positive
feedback.”
The Surface is a more
premium device in our
employeesʼ perception.
When they see people
holding Surface devices,
using them, it does help with
employee satisfaction and
keeping employees around
or attracting talent.
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Enabling Business Outcomes
IDCʼs survey research also asked organizations about the business outcomes supported and generated by Surface
devices. When asked which business outcomes Microsoft Surface devices have improved, surveyed organizations
consistently specified five outcomes; more than one third of organizations reported that Surface devices have had a
beneficial impact in one or more of these core business and operational areas.
These results, while not quantified directly for this study, reflect the broad impact of Surface devices on
employee productivity and satisfaction, operational risk, and business outcomes:
Improved security: 44% of surveyed organizations reported that Surface devices have improved their security
profiles.
Improved customer satisfaction: 38% of surveyed organizations linked their use of Surface devices to higher
customer satisfaction, which is typically a core measure of business success and reflects sales and other
frontline workersʼ improved ability to communicate and serve customers.
Increased business resilience: 36% of surveyed organizations attributed increased business resilience to their
use of Surface, linking their ability to maintain consistent and uninterrupted business operations to Surface.
Improved profit margins: 35% of surveyed organizations reported that Surface devices have helped their
organizations increase profit margins by generating new revenue streams and optimizing
device-related operational costs as discussed in this study.
Employee retention: 35% of surveyed organizations connected higher employee retention with the use of
Surface devices, building on IDCʼs findings in in-depth interviews that Surface users have a 4% lower turnover
rate than non-Surface users.
TABLE 9
Higher Employee Retention Cost Savings
Other Devices
Microsoft
Surface Devices Dierence
Percentage
Benefit
Employee turnover, FTE 219 211 8 4%
Average cost to onboard
new employee
$25,270 $25,270 – –
Costs associated with
employee turnover per year
$5,528,350 $5,528,350 $198,960 4%
Total 3-year higher
employee retention benefit
per device
$979 $944 $105 4%
Source: IDC Business Value Research, December 2021 to February 2022
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Challenges and Opportunity
IT leaders today face a market-wide challenge to do more with less – cut operational and capital expenses while
driving Future of Work digital ambitions. As a result, procuring devices with the most cost-eective performance
per dollar is top of mind for every IT department while investing in employee experience with Future of Work digital
ambitions.
In addition, IT leaders across the world, from infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to software as a service (SaaS), are
looking to the cloud to shift capital expense into operational expense. For the hardware conversation, one aspect that
was clear in our research was that IT leaders who have succeeded in this challenge to deliver more with less are ones
who have invested in a cloud-based device management architecture.
Ultimately, while cloud-based device management is a new way of doing things, itʼs not actually more complex. Rather,
itʼs simpler, cheaper, more secure, and, above all, easier. To be successful in this market, vendors, including Microsoft,
need to recognize the challenges organizations face and emphasize the overall value proposition of cloud-based
device management. Cloud-based device management is a prime example of a “do/deliver more with less” with less
opportunity: a better employee experience overall, with devices that “just work” out of the box, while significantly
enabling IT eciency in provisioning, updating, and managing, thus reducing administration costs.
Conclusion
Organizations increasingly see the need to provide their employees with top-quality tools to do their jobs, including
PCs, both to enhance productivity in a hybrid world and to improve employee satisfaction. The PC remains the most
important productivity tool for the majority of employees, and features and functionalities have made significant
advancements in recent years. Because the productivity and eectiveness of employees ultimately drives business
results, organizations increasingly cannot aord to be “penny-wise and pound-foolish” when it comes to the PCs
they provide to employees. Thus, many organizations are considering premium PCs, since premium devices can be
a catalyst that enables multiplicative benefits on employee productivity and IT operations when compared with other
PC devices. For its capabilities, design, and functionality, Microsoft Surface easily captures value that far outstrips its
marginally higher premium device cost over an alternative PC device.
This IDC study considers the business case for organizations of using Microsoft Surface devices based on extensive
in-depth interviews and web survey research. IDCʼs research shows various benefits, both hard and soft in nature, that
combine to create far more value than the additional costs of buying Surface devices. IDCʼs analysis shows that study
participants benefit from several main areas of value of Surface devices, including:
Lower overall total cost of ownership from device consolidation, higher residual value, and reduced spend on
peripherals and support
IT sta time savings and eciencies resulting from Surface devices and Microsoft 365 requiring less sta time
to deploy, manage, support, and secure
Direct user productivity gains linked to the increased availability and reduced downtime of Surface devices
Other user productivity gains related to improved device performance and usability that can be more
challenging to quantify but deliver potentially significant value to Surface device users
Overall, IDCʼs analysis shows that Surface devices enabled with Microsoft 365 have a total cost of ownership that
costs 63% less to purchase and manage than other PC devices and generate almost $2.8 in benefits for every $1 in
investment over 3 years.
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Appendix 1
Research Overview and Firmographics
IDC used and synthesized two types of research to inform this studyʼs findings:
In-depth interviews with decision makers at 17 organizations that are using Microsoft Surface devices, with
interviews focused on understanding the dierences in costs, sta time requirements, performance, and user
experience of Microsoft Surface devices compared with other PCs and devices
Web-based survey research with individuals at 700 organizations using Microsoft Surface devices, as well as
with individuals at 100 organizations not using Microsoft Surface devices, about key metrics about the use of
Microsoft Surface and other devices
Table 10
provides additional details about the research IDC conducted through in-depth interviews. As noted,
IDC spoke with individuals at 17 organizations around the world who are highly knowledgeable about the impact
of using Surface devices compared with other types of devices in terms of device costs, sta time requirements,
device performance, and employee experience. Study participants had a large enterprise profile on aggregate, with
an average of 51,500 employees and annual revenue of $18.6 billion (with median values of 10,000 employees and
$1.4 billion in revenue). These organizations have provided an average of 5,650 Surface devices to their employees
and are increasing their Surface fleets by an average of 11% per year. In-depth interview research provided the
perspectives of organizations from around the world (United States, Australia, India, Spain, France, United Kingdom,
New Zealand, and Germany) and oered perspectives about use by numerous industry verticals, including
manufacturing, healthcare, finance, insurance, government, professional services, education, transportation, retail,
telecommunications, and nonprofit.
TABLE 10
Firmographics
Average Median
Number of employees 51,500 10,000
Number of IT sta 1,350 365
Total organizational revenue
$18.6B $1.4B
Total number of Surface devices 5,650 1,625
Surface device growth rate 11% 8%
Countries United States (8), Canada, Germany (2), France, Spain, Australia, India (3)
Industries Manufacturing (3), healthcare (3), finance (3), insurance,
government, professional services, education, transportation, retail,
telecommunications, nonprofit
n = 17, Source: IDC Business Value In-Depth Interviews, December 2021 to February 2022
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IDC also completed web-based survey research designed to provide additional information about the impact of
using Surface devices for organizations. In total, this survey provided the experiences of 800 organizations, 700 of
which are using Surface devices. The organizations using Surface devices had deployed at least 150 Surface devices.
The survey was designed to take about 15 minutes to complete and included IT decision-maker, line-of-business, and
procurement respondents.
Other relevant information about the survey-based research:
Industry: Organizations from more than 10 industries provided their experiences with Surface and other
devices, with retail (13%), banking (12%), construction (12%), healthcare (11%), telecommunications (9%), and
process manufacturing (9%) having the most representation.
Geography: Organizations from five regions/countries participated in the survey, including the United States
(43%), Australia/New Zealand (15%), India (14%), Germany (14%), and the United Kingdom (14%).
Organization size: The survey provided the experiences of diverse organizations in terms of size, with 11%
having more than 20,000 employees, 28% having 5,000 to 19,999 employees, 43% having 1,000 to 4,999
employees, and 19% having fewer than 1,000 employees.
Surface device mix: Organizations that qualified for this IDC study needed to utilize at least 150 Surface
devices, inclusive of the following models: Surface Pro 6, Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro 7+, Surface Pro 8, Surface
Pro X, Surface Book 2, Surface Book 3, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Laptop 4, Surface Laptop Go, and Surface
Laptop Studio.
Whenever possible, IDC used the survey data to quantify the costs and benefits of Surface. Values were compared
with the in-depth interviews (IDIs) to ensure agreement.
The IDIs were chosen for the following data points:
Device costs: The interview approach of the IDIs resulted in more detailed and consistent cost data for the
device, accessories, and extended warranty and maintenance.
Reduced meeting time benefits: This was not covered in the survey.
Employee retention: The IDIs covered in detail the costs to replace employees and the high retention benefits
of Microsoft Surface.
Other: Residual value adjusted by IDC to reflect average after 36 months.
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TABLE 11
Source of Metrics for Analysis
Metric Source
Device-Related Costs
Average cost per device IDIs
Device accessories IDIs
Device docks IDIs
Annual Microsoft 365 licensing costs IDIs
Extended warranty and maintenance IDIs
Peripheral devices Survey
Device consolidation Survey
Residual value Survey
Annual power savings Survey
IT Eciency
Deployment Survey
Ongoing device management Survey
Security Survey
Helpdesk Survey
Third-party support Survey
Employee Experience
Deployment Survey
Daily operations Survey
Meeting time IDIs
Helpdesk Survey
Security incidents Survey
Employee retention IDIs
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Megan Szurley
Senior Research Analyst, Business Value, IDC
Megan Szurley is a senior research analyst for the Business Value Strategy Practice, responsible
for creating custom business value research that determines return on investment (ROI) and
cost savings for enterprise technology products. Meganʼs research focuses on the financial and
operational impact of these products for organizations once deployed and in production.
More about Megan Szurley
Tom Mainelli
Group Vice President, Device & Consumer Research, IDC
Tom Mainelli manages the Device & Consumer Research Group, which covers a broad range of
hardware categories, inclusive of both home and enterprise markets, as well as IDCʼs growing
consumer research practice. The device research includes PCs, tablets, smartphones, wearables,
smart home products, thin clients, displays, and virtual and augmented reality headsets. He also
manages IDCʼs supply-side research team that tracks display and ODM production across a
wide range of products. IDCʼs consumer practice, built upon its Consumer Technology Strategy
Service, tracks numerous consumer-focused metrics utilizing frequent surveys and IDC-branded
indexes. The consumer research also includes in-depth services focused on gaming and video.
More about Tom Mainelli
Randy Perry
Vice President, Sales Enablement Practice, IDC
Randy Perry is vice president of the Sales Enablement Practice at IDC WW Custom Solutions. He
is responsible for helping IT providers sell their products and services to C-level decision makers
through tying technology initiatives to improved business outcomes. He is currently working on
multiple projects linking IT initiatives (cloud, mobility, AI, social, and IoT) to improving business
outcomes such as increasing agility, improving customer experience, and becoming more
innovative; and quantifying the financial impact in terms of business metrics (revenue growth and
lower operational costs).
More about Randy Perry
About the Analysts
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