Your small business absolutely needs these tips. When time and financial resources are scarce, they help you stay competitive versus other bootstrapping SMBs.
What can you do to make sure your IT infrastructure serves your client’s needs, while also not driving your own costs through the roof?
Here are some tips:
1. Upgrade Hardware in Volume:
Manufacturers often give you incentives when you do this. You don’t have to be a massive corporation that buys 1000 new PCs to save on costs. Many will bring down their prices if you just buy a few new units with them. All you have to do is ask.
2. Buy New UPS’s:
Your uninterruptible power supply (you do have one, don’t you?) saves your life when you experience a natural disaster. However, with UPSs, it’s not generally a wise idea to upgrade an existing one.
This is because many of their components, but especially the batteries, only work for so long. Technology skyrockets the life of their components quickly. So rather than upgrade your existing UPS, buy a new one.
And if you don’t have one – get it right now (or hire managed IT services to take care of it for you)!
3. Upgrade PC Memory:
Are your PCs running too slow? Does it cost too much for you to buy new ones? Rather than exceeding your budget, you can buy new memory for your PCs instead. It’s a simple install, and you can stretch the life of your PCs significantly (in most cases) just by upgrading memory.
4. Use Facebook Groups for Your Company Intranet:
While your company intranet doesn’t cost a lot to maintain, it is an expense you can eliminate entirely. All you have to do is use a Facebook group to share files, spread important news, and keep your team heading in the same direction. Credit this post at Information Week for that tip.
5. Buy Refurbished:
Are you the budget-conscious type who buys slightly used vehicles, knowing cars lose most of their value when bought new and driven off the lot? Well, the exact same technique works in technology – perhaps even better. IT support teams know the ropes on this, too, if you’re afraid to handle it on your own. Rather than buying the latest, greatest technology, buy what came out 6-12 months ago. And besides, by the time you buy the newest thing and learn how to make the best use of it in your company’s IT infrastructure, there’ll be something even newer and faster out on the market anyway.
It’s almost impossible to keep up unless you have a very healthy budget. Follow those 5 tips, and you’ll keep up with or stay ahead of other competing small businesses.
For more information about outsourcing your IT services:
