Gartner Advises Businesses to Save Money by Tracking Low-Cost Portable Assets; IT Asset Management Best Practices to Be the Theme of Gartner's IT Asset Management 2001 Conference

Business Wire, April 24, 2001

Business & High Tech Editors

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2001

As companies search for ways to cut back on spending and operating costs, Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB) advises businesses to start tracking and tagging low-cost devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). For companies with more than 5,000 employees, the yearly cost savings can be $300,000 to $500,000.

According to Gartner, companies are losing money and sensitive data in two recurring scenarios because they are not tracking and tagging equipment. One scenario involves employees who work remotely but don't return company-owned equipment when they leave employment. The other scenario involves the loss of mobile devices during travel.

"A device may have a low initial cost, but when it's loaded with valuable, confidential data, its value to the business and to a competitor increases exponentially when the data is no longer secure," said Jack Heine, vice president for Gartner. "If companies can recover such assets, they can either return them to the appropriate employee or reallocate them to someone else instead of repurchasing the assets."

According to Gartner, the justification for asset management programs for small investments is the total cost of ownership associated with such devices, especially when they're being used in such high volume in today's connected business culture. Many hidden costs related to operation and support are involved in the use of mobile assets, which add up to substantial spending for the company. Gartner advises that an appropriate level of tracking is necessary to meet accountability, security and support requirements.

Gartner predicts that more than 266,000 cell phones and PDAs will be lost at the nation's 50 largest airports in 2001, and return rates will average only 25 percent to 30 percent due to the inability to identify or locate the owners. On each mobile asset containing company data that is not recovered, companies will also lose an estimated $2,500 to $3,000.

"If those devices were tagged and tracked in a central location, the company would be able to know and recover assets from departing employees, and lost devices would have a better chance of being returned with sensitive data intact," said Heine.

Gartner analysts will discuss the latest trends in asset management at Gartner's IT Asset Management 2001 conference, which will be held May 21-22, 2001, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina in San Diego, California. At the IT Asset Management 2001 conference, Gartner analysts will advise attendees on the most progressive best practices for asset management and examine the people, processes and tools required for asset management in the future. For more information or to register, please go to www.gartner.com/bam/usa or call 1-800-778-1997.

About Gartner, Inc.

Gartner, Inc. is a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,000 clients understand technology and drive business growth. Gartner's divisions consist of Gartner Research, Gartner Consulting, Gartner Measurement and Gartner Events. Founded in 1979, Gartner, Inc. is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and consists of 4,600 associates, including 1,400 research analysts and consultants, in more than 80 locations worldwide. The company achieved fiscal 2000 revenues of $859 million. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.