Sooner or later, your hardware will become obsolete. Aging hardware poses a variety of direct and indirect costs that can chip away at cash flow and productivity, often without your knowledge. Looming expenses are frightening, but you can actually avoid these by simply updating your computer.
While most businesses don’t buy every single piece of new technology as soon as it’s released, you should still think carefully about how and when you upgrade or replace it. Here are the factors that determine when you must upgrade:
Performance is deteriorating
As your desktop slows down, so do your employees. Speed up your PCs by uninstalling unused software, removing malware, and getting rid of old files. However, remember that even with regular maintenance, someday your computers won't have the disk space or processing power necessary to run updates and keep up with newer operating systems and applications.
Unable to update your software
Updating your OS and applications is necessary for obtaining new features and security fixes. If your hardware doesn’t meet the requirements of your software updates, that’s a sure sign that you need to replace business hardware.
Typically, it should be every four years. If you wait five years, then there’s a big risk of being compelled to upgrade many components simultaneously.
You spend too much money on maintenance and repairs
In some cases, it’s practical to maintain and repair your devices instead of buying brand new equipment. After all, proper care can extend the lives of your machines. Repairing your hardware will eventually cost more than replacing it, however.
If this is the case, you should consider purchasing new hardware. If you have hardware warranties, replace damaged items before the warranties expire. This could save you a ton of money.
Upgrading your hardware brings a wide range of benefits for your organization:
- Enhanced performance – When you invest in new hardware, employees see this as a commitment that you care about their working conditions. It also shows that you are serious about your shared success since you’re willing to provide them with the best tools available.
- Increased security – With outdated equipment, you leave your systems exposed to attacks that could disrupt your services and cause major downtime. Upgrading your IT hardware increases the security of your infrastructure. With proper and regular updates, you’re not only ensuring the protection and functionality of your equipment and systems but you’re also preventing potential compliance issues and penalties. This saves you money in the long run.
- Reduced costs – New machines have new features that either directly reduces your operating costs or indirectly boosts operational efficiencies. For instance, having advanced energy-saving capabilities will help you reduce your electricity consumption, significantly helping your bottom line as well as positively impacting the environment.
- Improved management – As you upgrade your hardware, you get access to new features. For instance, remote management and monitoring increases the productivity of your employees by automating tasks, keeping tabs on systems and devices, etc.
Your business will always be dependent on technology. As such, it’s important to keep your systems running at peak performance to enable you to compete in today’s dynamic digital economy. If you want to keep your infrastructure updated but don’t know where to start, a reputable managed services provider like Charles IT can help you. Call us today for a quick and efficient assessment.
