Businesses often complain about the cost of purchasing and working on computers. Computers are expensive and break at the wrong times, they aren’t coffee resistant, they do not handle physical violence (although we’ve all tried) and they always need patches that slow them down. You consistently see Network Administrators looking harried and dusty as they struggle to keep machines purchased in 1999 running. Clouds of dust and debris fire out of the fan vents, the sky grows dark, and after the machine is fixed you see the technician emerge like Bruce Willis in the Die Hard series. These machines are still running, which your company is able to say saves time and money moving forward, but this is not always the case.
Faster, Harder, Smarter- this is the way of technology. We want our machines to last longer, help us more, and be faster. Old machines can’t do that for you, and as your business moves forward, sometimes the two minutes that it takes to boot up one rusty old server is a minute and 55 seconds more than you can accommodate. A computer with an older processor will freeze more with Windows 7 and 8, and may not be compatible with Windows 10. These machines were designed for Windows XP, and if your company is still running that operating system, you could be in trouble due to viruses and other security oriented issues.
So how do we improve the bottom line with IT? Usually it’s all about “Wow, we have to spend how much on a new computer!?” Remember though, that new computer will be a boost on productivity as applications, files, and documents can all be run faster. The operating system will be better protected. Time is money, work smarter not harder, business never sleeps. These are all incredibly important phrases and mottos for your organization to follow, but don’t forget the phrase that every child has said once in their lifetime: “Look, shiny!”
Shiny isn’t important unless it’s an improvement, and employees that can do their job faster get to go home on time instead of late, are not angry or attempting to destroy their computers to get a new one, and are overall more productive. Productivity is the most important aspect of business. That is where the money is made, and if technology can improve that area, then it can only benefit your company.
Technicians, Network Administrators, and Managed Service Providers (MSP) are able to recommend technology that improves the standard of living at a work place, and makes their jobs easier and faster as well. Consider asking your MSP or Network Administrator to perform an audit of your technology and make proposals for improvements. This will help prevent the extra mess from cleaning up dust and will enhance productivity and therefore your bottom line in numerous ways.
Article contributed by Nick McCourt, IT Consultant, Tier One Technology Partners, a division of MKS&H
About Tier One Technology Partners: MKS&H’s technology consulting group, Tier One Technology Partners provides your growing organization with IT strategy and effective IT services solutions to keep you one step ahead. Tier One was founded in 2000 in the response to listening to the needs of our clients and the business challenges that they were facing in such a rapidly changing IT environment. Thus, Tier One was developed with the simple goal of being an IT consultant, partner, and support firm.
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