Standardization vs. individualization in IT procurement: How to find the right balance
So far, we have clarified the central principles of IT procurement:
- How to finance IT hardware in a company - buying vs. leasing vs. renting
- How can devices be provided - mobile device strategy: BYOD, CYOD or COPE
Closely linked to these challenges is the question of standardization and individualization of the IT fleet in the company. For this reason, we will examine the question in this article:
👉 How uniform or individual should the equipment be within the company fleet?
TL;DR - A brief summary of the most important facts
- Standardization reduces procurement costs, administration and support costs - enables scalability and cost transparency.
- Individualization improves employee satisfaction and flexibility, but increases acquisition and operating costs.
- A mixture of standardized basic devices and targeted individualization for special roles is the best strategy in most cases.
- Rental models help to combine standardized management and flexible equipment - without high capital commitment.
Standardization vs. individualization: a fundamental question
The question of standardization or individualization does not only concern the operational level (e.g. which devices are purchased).
It influences the entire structure of IT procurement. It therefore has an impact on:
- Cost structure
- Administrative complexity
- Security level
- Scalability
- Employee satisfaction
The decision between standardization and individualization influences efficiency, cost control, risk management and employer attractiveness - and is therefore one of the fundamental strategic issues facing modern IT organizations.
What does standardization mean in IT procurement?
Standardization means that companies provide a fixed selection of devices and configurations. All employees of a company or certain roles receive standardized hardware.Advantages
- Easier procurement: Large quantities of the same device can be purchased or rented more cheaply - through volume discounts or standardized rental contracts.
- Lower administration costs: fewer variants mean simpler inventory and lifecycle management. Replacement cycles, warranty processing and returns are bundled and standardized.
- Efficient support: IT departments save time on repairs, updates and troubleshooting. Less training is required and preventive maintenance is more efficient.
- Faster onboarding/offboarding: Standardized devices are ready for use more quickly and are easier to reuse.
Disadvantages:
- Less flexibility: Specific needs of individual employees (e.g. developers or designers) may not be optimally covered.
- Less freedom of choice: Can influence the employee experience if individual preferences are not taken into account.
What does individualization mean in IT procurement?
Individualization allows employees to choose their own devices within certain specifications (e.g. through CYOD - Choose Your Own Device or BYOD - Bring Your Own Device). Alternatively, specific requirements are addressed depending on the role.Advantages:
- Greater employee satisfaction: users can choose hardware that suits their working habits.
- Tailor-made IT equipment: special requirements (e.g. CAD software, graphics processing) can be better mapped.
- Attractiveness as an employer: Flexible IT policies are often a plus point when recruiting talent.
Disadvantages:
- Higher initial costs: Specific configurations or special models are more expensive than standardized models.
- Differentiated procurement processes: Individual selection options usually require different suppliers, price negotiations and ordering logistics.
- More administrative effort: More variants mean more complex processes and fewer economies of scale. Devices can have different maintenance and life cycles, which drives up administrative costs.
- Complex support: Different systems increase the effort required for maintenance and problem solving.
- More complex asset management: device lifecycle becomes more difficult to control, recycling more difficult.
📈Practical example: the right balance between standardization and individualization
A growing SaaS company with around 150 employees was faced with the challenge of making its IT procurement more efficient and scalable. In the past, individual device requirements had become too:- long procurement times,
- high support costs,
- and difficulties with device management.
Solution
A clear balance between standardization and individualization.Implementation
- Standardization: Two standard models have been defined for the vast majority of employees (e.g. sales, customer support, administration): MacBook Air and Dell Latitude. This enabled procurement costs to be lowered, delivery times reduced and support processes standardized.
- Targeted individualization: Specialist departments such as software development and marketing received a selection of more powerful devices, e.g. MacBook Pro with extended RAM/CPU options or workstations with specialized graphics cards.
- Process standardization via rental model: Regardless of device type and performance level, management, replacement and return were centralized via a rental model. This enabled standardized onboarding/offboarding processes and rapid scaling in the event of growth.
Result
- Reduction in support requests by approx. 30 % within one year
- Shorter time-to-desk for new employees (from 10 to 5 working days)
- Plannable monthly hardware costs through OPEX models
- Greater satisfaction with both standard and special rolls
How companies find the right balance
A blanket decision in favour of "standardization only" or "individualization only" rarely makes sense. Successful companies take a strategic approach and intelligently combine efficiency and flexibility.
This is what a sustainable solution could look like
- Define standardization:
- Introduction of 2-3 standardized device categories (e.g. office standard, developer standard, special devices).
- Type and model are standardized within the categories.
- Enable targeted individualization:
- Employees or departments with special requirements (e.g. graphics, engineering) are given defined selection options within defined frameworks.
- Standardize lifecycle and processes:
- Regardless of the choice of device: the same processes for ordering, onboarding, support and returns.
- Use of central tools for MDM, ticketing and inventory.
- Use flexible financing:
- Rental models or Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) offer the necessary scalability without tying up capital.
- Leasing or hybrid models are an option if upgrade costs are to remain calculable.
- Strategic monitoring:
- Regular review of the fleet structure and support costs.
- Ongoing optimization based on usage data and employee feedback.
Efficient implementation of standardization & individualization in the Device as a Service model
Especially when companies are looking for a balance between standardization and individualization, traditional purchasing models often reach their limits: Complex device fleets need to be managed, support processes need to be adapted and costs need to be managed flexibly.Rental models offer clear advantages here
- Companies can purchase standard equipment and individual devices with equal flexibility - without high initial investments.
- Management, exchange and return are standardized via one partner - regardless of how individual the device selection is.
- Costs remain predictable and scalable - even with changing team sizes or new project requirements.
Implementing a mobile device strategy in your company
Whether standard models for every employee or full product freedom - with Device as a Service from Lendis, you can implement your mobile device strategy efficiently.
👉 Let's get started.
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