What is TCO?
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a comprehensive financial evaluation that meticulously considers all the tangible and intangible expenses linked to a procurement, encompassing not only the initial acquisition cost but also the ongoing expenditures associated with maintaining, restoring, and ultimately disposing of the asset. By understanding the full TCO of a purchase, businesses can make more informed decisions about which products and services to buy.
The TCO of a purchase can be divided into two main categories:
- Direct costs: These are the costs that are easily identifiable and can be easily quantified, such as the purchase price, shipping costs, and installation costs.
- Indirect costs: These are the costs that are more difficult to identify and quantify, such as the cost of downtime, lost productivity, and environmental impact.