Avansa Warns Businesses About the True Cost of Unsecured Tablets

“Most incidents aren’t ‘Hollywood theft’ — they’re quick grabs, unplugged cables or kiosk mode being exited. Physical security and tidy cabling fix 80% of issues before they happen.”

— Chennel Smith, Product Lead, Avansa.

Yet in thousands of businesses, those tablets are still:

• Propped on cheap, non-locking stands
• Left loose on counters where anyone can pick them up
• Handed to customers with no physical security or cable protection

It feels convenient – until something goes wrong. The real financial, operational and reputational cost of an unsecured tablet is almost always higher than expected.

What “Unsecured Tablet” Actually Means

When we talk about unsecured tablets in business, we are not just talking about weak passwords or outdated apps. In the physical world, an unsecured tablet is one that:

• Can be picked up and removed in seconds (no lock, tether or robust stand)
• Can be easily unplugged or tampered with (exposed cables and open ports)
• Sits where anyone can tap, swipe, install apps or access settings without supervision

Retailers, hospitality operators and IT admins regularly share the same pain points in forums and on social media: tablets walking off at trade shows, customers fiddling with settings, children exiting kiosk apps, and frustration at having to replace damaged devices or flimsy stands.

By contrast, purpose-built anti-theft tablet stands use lockable enclosures, tamper-resistant fasteners and secure mounting to counters, walls or floors – plus concealed cabling to prevent casual theft and unplugging.

A Quick Risk Checklist for Your Business

If you are already using tablets in your business today, ask yourself:

• Can a customer physically remove the tablet in under 10 seconds?
• Could anyone unplug or damage exposed cables by accident?
• Can someone outside your team press the home button, change apps or access settings?
• Is the tablet at a comfortable height and angle for repeated use?
• Would losing this device during trading hours materially disrupt service?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, the true cost of an unsecured tablet in your environment is almost certainly higher than the price of a secure stand or kiosk.

The Direct Financial Cost of a Lost or Stolen Tablet

It is tempting to treat a stolen tablet as “just a hardware loss”. In reality, research into mobile devices in organisations shows that the cost per lost or stolen device can run into thousands once support, investigation and downtime are included.

When a business loses a frontline tablet, the costs add up quickly:

• Replacement of the device and accessories
• Time to decommission the old device and configure the new one
• Security investigation and possible password or account resets
• Staff downtime while systems are restored
• Potential insurance excess and future premium increases

A modest investment in the right secure tablet stands and kiosks – chosen carefully for the environment using tools like the Avansa Tablet Stand Model Recommender Tool – can significantly reduce the true cost and risk of tablets in business, while preserving the speed and convenience that made you deploy them in the first place.