The next frontier of digital assets’ control, with Asset IQ.
The latest version of our powerful asset management platform has launched. It offers organisations ultimate control of their tech assets and underpins our circular Technology Lifecycle Management solution.
In this article, we sit down with Tapio Ranta, 3stepIT’s Head of Product Management, to discuss how our latest release has evolved from our proud history of more than two decades of asset management experience, to a modern, scalable platform designed to solve today’s top business challenges.
As the volume of technology within organisations rapidly increases and disperses, the need for oversight and control of these assets and the data stored on them is also growing.
Today, managing tech securely, sustainably, and efficiently is an operational, financial, and reputational necessity.
Our customers trust us to take care of more than 2.3 million business-critical assets. Comprehensive asset management is the cornerstone of digital strategy for these organisations, who are seeking to leverage the power of tech to grow, while at the same time limiting exposure to risks across their digital footprint.
For the launch of the latest version of Asset IQ, we’ve worked closely with our customers to identify their top concerns and find innovative solutions to address them. Here’s what you need to know.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role?
I am passionate about technology. I like to know how things work and I love how tech can improve how we do things.
I’ve worked at 3stepIT for three years, I took the role of leading the Product Management team because I could see the unique opportunity to help organisations across Europe make the most of their investment in digital. I was also excited about supporting businesses make the transition to a future-fit, circular way of consuming technology: a way that was better for them and for the environment.
My role is to plan, develop, roll out and manage our products and services across all our markets. My mission is to ensure that in our development, we focus first and foremost on our customers’ needs, so I spend a lot of time mapping business requirements against the capabilities of our platform so can be sure we’re supporting growth and efficiency.
I’m lucky I get to do what I love – make technology do really cool things for our customers.
Asset management plays a central role in 3stepIT’s circular technology lifecycle management solution. Why is it important?
Asset management underpins the entire lifecycle of a tech asset – from the way an organisation buys its tech, to how they’re delivered, onboarded, managed, updated, and ultimately how they’re retired at the end of their first useful life.
Done right, asset management can transform the impact tech can have within a business – improving efficiency and productivity, controlling costs, and protecting against risks, like data security breaches and misuse of data.
With the right information at its fingertips, a business can move with speed and predict the impact of changes before they happen – safeguarding its tech, but also eliminating waste, saving money, improving utilisation, and ultimately operating more sustainably.
Could you tell us about the new version of 3stepIT’s asset management system – Asset IQ?
We think Asset IQ is the most advanced and user-friendly asset management system ever built. We have placed customer experience and the real business requirements of the organisations we work with at the centre of our product development process.
We’ve launched this new version of our platform because we always adapt with our customers. The challenges facing businesses have changed and have become more complex. Digital transformation, compliance, data security, and e-waste management are all top of mind for our customers, so we’ve created a one-stop digital platform to address these needs.
The result is a modern, cloud-based system that evolves alongside the organisations who trust us to manage their assets. Cloud architecture enables us to create new innovations on top of the system in agile mode, as well as connect seamlessly with other platforms our customers may be using to manage their technology hardware and software. We’re continuously releasing new features at the moment, so it’s an exciting time.
How does this affect existing customers and their use of our solution?
There will be no disruption for our existing customers, who will continue to enjoy the same features and processes to manage their tech assets as they always have. They will have access to a more modern platform and new features to support their business, so ultimately it means better user friendliness and more opportunities to manage tech securely and sustainably.
When and how are the customers moving to the new platform?
New customers are onboarding straight onto Asset IQ, so if you’re working with us for the first time, you’re straight into our new world-class offer. Thousands of our customers are already using Asset IQ, and most of our existing customers have been migrated, but it’s still an ongoing process as we work with individual businesses based on their complexity and business needs. One of the primary goals of the project plan was to ensure migration wouldn’t disrupt operations for our business or for our customers, so we put a lot of effort into making it a simple and seamless process. We also have a dedicated customer support team in place to provide a helping hand when needed.
Have you received any feedback from the customers regarding this upgrade?
One of the first customers to transition to Asset IQ in Sweden has praised how the system helps them to keep track of their equipment across the full lifecycle, especially at the end of contracts, and they are already benefitting from improved usability.
The customer’s system administrator told me – and I quote: “Being able to track our devices throughout their lifecycle is crucial to us and transitioning to the Asset IQ was simple and smooth. We have been using the new version for some time and we find it is easier to use and operate. One of the key features for us is the one that allows us to manage devices at the end of lease; with Asset IQ, we can easily keep track of which devices’ contracts are ending, select their lease termination options, and create transport orders to return the devices. It is also great to know new features are added on a regular basis: it means 3stepIT is improving the system and that we are getting more values from the service.”
Looking ahead, what can customers expect from Asset IQ and what plans do you have for the next stage of our products and services?
Our vision is to offer the world’s best digital services platform that enables customers to manage and develop their tech estate efficiently, securely and sustainably. We achieve this with an ethos of continuous development and improvement. We’re always listening and trying new things, working with our customers to solve new challenges as they arise.
Customers already have access to loads of new, innovative features, as well as integration capabilities through the cloud. But our development does not stop here.
We are adding new features at a rapid pace. I am especially excited about the reporting and data analytics capabilities to provide customers even better insights into their asset lifecycle. There’s also artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and software robotics on the horizon, offering completely new opportunities to revolutionise technology and asset management.
Want to know more about Asset IQ and how we can help your business? Get to know the platform or contact us to discuss with our experts.
