Total Cost of Ownership Study Proves the Superior Value of Clarus™ Glassboards
Facility managers choose Clarus glassboards as a premium, durable writing surface for the most demanding of environments. Whether it’s in a healthcare setting, where rigorous cleaning and daily use take their toll on the product, educational settings, or commercial office space, the glassboard has become more than a building material – it is truly communications technology.
But new technology requires new paradigms for initial investment. As the writable surfaces market exits a period of maturity and commoditization leaving behind low-cost whiteboards for glass, a correction is required – a reinvestment.
Consider this parallel. Remember the old-fashioned house phone? Of course, you might still have one. Quickly browsing home telephones on leading retailer Target’s website, phones are sold for prices such as $12.99 and $22.99 – even $8.99, with tons of functionality, digital displays and more.
Alternatively, a standard iPhone lists for $649 – at least a 2100% premium, any way you look at it.
While glassboards don’t sell for 21 times the cost of traditional whiteboards, they could. Because like the iPhone, the value and total-cost-of-ownership transcends the initial price tag.
Do you regret paying a premium for your smart phone? The same concept applies in commercial facilities with glassboards.
While ‘value’ and ‘return on investment’ are highly relevant metrics for this discussion, they aren’t always practical or tangible in all commercial environments. But TCO is always relevant.
TCO is defined as: A calculation of all the costs of owning and using a product over it’s usable life – including maintenance.
In a third-party TCO study conducted earlier this year, 73% of facility mangers said their whiteboards last four years or less. This simply does not work in demanding environments. Compare this to glassboards which never need replacement. Therefore, replacement expense is $0 with glassboards, compared to hundreds or thousands of dollars per board in just 5 – 10 years.
70% of whiteboards are replaced because of discoloration, but glassboards don’t discolor – they aren’t porous enough to trap ink and paint.
And with faster installation, easier cleaning, and versatility, as seen with Clarus’ recently launched four-way z-clip, Clarus glassboards have lower ownership and maintenance expenses in all major categories:
- Cleaning
- Installation
- Take-down and transport
- Shipping
- Lead time
- Replacement expense
Clarus glassboards, while carrying more premium pricing upon purchase, become lower in total cost after just 4-6 years as compared to whiteboards – and that’s if the ghosting, staining of breakage that plague whiteboards don’t trash the product sooner.
But as with all new technologies, and lower-TCO products, facility managers must demonstrate first-mover status and thought leadership in procuring glassboards over plastic. The age-old argument is the one for doing it right the first time. And if recent examples, such as the move to smarter phones shed light on the true value of more durable, functional and versatile products, then the internal sale for the superior product could be easier than expected.
Clarus Glassboards supports facility managers in the transition to glass on a daily basis. Request a free consultation, and an immediate call-back.
And to calculate the potential savings and superior TCO with glassboards, try our calculator here.