by Jay Mark

1 minute read

Modern businesses operate in a digitally driven economy and need technology to operate at peak efficiency. However, many organizations tend to neglect making the necessary investment in refreshing and upgrading their hardware on a regular basis. Businesses often see devices as a mere means to an end, and usually only remember their physical infrastructure when something breaks or a new app requires more computing resources. The fact is, however, that regularly upgrading your hardware is not necessarily a drain on the company treasury. Simply put, refreshing your physical infrastructure can save you money. Here’s how:

Improved Performance

Not updating your hardware on a regular basis can have a detrimental effect on your business. Slow I.T. systems can result in frustrated staff and a loss in crucial productivity. Furthermore, as organizations become more technology dependent, they rely on their I.T. infrastructure to interact with customers. An outdated I.T. platform plagued with performance issues could result in customers receiving a poor service experience which could lead to them take their business elsewhere.

Faster devices increase employee productivity, which in turn can lead to improved staff morale. When an organization invests in new hardware, employees see this as a commitment that the business cares about their working conditions and wants to make their jobs easier. It also shows staff that the organization is serious about their shared success since they are willing to provide employees with the best tools possible. New or upgraded hardware also improves the customer service experience, and happier customers tend to be more loyal and spend more money.

Reduced Costs

We have all heard the saying that to make money you need to spend money. It may seem counterintuitive that investing in upgrading your I.T. hardware can reduce your costs, but spending some money on an updated I.T. platform is good for your business in a few ways. As discussed, an upgraded platform improves systems performance, increases productivity, and leads to happier staff and customers. Furthermore, if an organization decides to keep running its systems on older equipment in an attempt to save some capital costs, it could end up costing them much more in the long run.

Older hardware and equipment can be costly to maintain. Most hardware platforms come with a three-year warranty so if any component on a server, desktop, or laptop malfunctions, the manufacturer replaces it free of charge. In some instances, extending this warranty for a further twelve months is possible. However, once the warranty period has lapsed, if any component such as a screen, motherboard, or hard drive needs to be replaced, the business needs to pay for it. Furthermore, as technology changes rapidly and hardware platforms become obsolete, it creates a situation where finding parts and components for older devices can be challenging.

Increased Security

Software applications often have vulnerabilities which vendors patch on a regular basis. When support for these applications comes to an end, the software’s developer no longer provides security patches. As such, running older software applications can place your business at risk. Hardware is not immune from vulnerabilities either. Recently, researchers discovered security vulnerabilities in computer processor chipsets. Again, if you are running on an unsupported I.T. platform, your devices will not receive the critical security patches vendors release to mitigate any potential threats.

Upgrading your I.T. hardware increases the security of your infrastructure platform. Not only does this ensure you receive any relevant updates from the hardware manufacturers, but it also provides the necessary platform updated software applications. Newer software versions often need more computing resources than their predecessors. As such, if you need to upgrade unsupported software, you may need to update your hardware to run it. Failing to do so would put your organization at risk. With data breaches making the news headlines on a regular basis and organizations facing stiff financial penalties, upgrading your hardware to secure your systems can save you money in the long term.

Improved Management

Hardware vendors like their software counterparts are continuously innovating and adding new features to their products and services. Not only do these new features include significant improvements in the hardware components they manufacture for their solutions, but they also often include enhanced management features such as advanced energy efficiencies, automatic firmware upgrades, and remote management and monitoring capabilities.

When you upgrade your I.T. hardware, you get access to these new features which save you money by either directly reducing your operating cost or indirectly saving you money by improving your operational efficiencies. For example, reducing your energy footprint with advanced energy-saving technologies can have a significant effect on your bottom line and a positive impact on the environment. Furthermore, advanced management capabilities like remote management and monitoring could significantly increase the productivity of your I.T. team.

You Need to Spend Money to Make Money

Your business is dependent on its technology. You need your systems operating at peak performance to enable you to compete in today’s digitally driven economy. Purchasing new hardware or upgrading your systems is often seen as a grudge purchase by many organizations. After all, if your servers, workstations, and laptops are still running, why fix or replace them?

The fact is, upgrading your I.T. hardware can save you money. Updating your devices improves employee morale and can also help enhance the service delivery to your customers. Furthermore, ensuring your I.T. platform does not fall out of warranty can help you save costs when hardware components malfunction and need to be replaced or repaired. Enhanced security is another benefit of keeping your I.T. infrastructure updated. Modern software applications need more computing resources and hardware devices also have vulnerabilities that you may not be able to patch if they are out of warranty. Finally, upgrading your hardware improves the overall management of your I.T. environment. Newer devices are more energy efficient and come with features which provide your I.T. with improved control and oversight.

JMARK has been helping businesses in Springfield and Tulsa increase their success with the help of innovative I.T. solutions for thirty years. The driving force behind everything we do is to help our clients move their business forward and achieve their goals. To learn more about how we can help you build an effective hardware renewal strategy for your business, contact us today.