These days, advancements in technology are tough to keep pace with. In the interest of your budget, you need to make tough decisions as to what is necessary and what is not.
You may think you are saving money by keeping your old IT infrastructure as long as possible. But there are many ways that your organization may become less efficient, less productive, less safe and less profitable if you choose not to innovate. Here are some great reasons to build IT growth and upgrades into your IT budget.
Why You May Actually Lose Money by Not Upgrading
- Cyber Threats: Data breaches are a big concern for businesses – and rightfully so. Hackers often find ways to exploit older operating systems and hardware, as the users have not upgraded to more secure systems. Even if antivirus programs are running and firewalls are up, cyber criminals may exploit the gaps left by vulnerabilities. The sad thing is, these vulnerabilities are easily patched up with the appropriate readily available upgrades! Studies prove that up to 60% of SMBs who suffer a major cyber attack are out of business 6 months later. Talk about a costly consequence!
- Data Loss: The loss of critical data – or the access to it – can not only shut you down temporarily, but can have lasting effects on your customer reputation. As technology ages, it is more vulnerable to glitches and malfunctions; old operating systems are more likely to experience crashes as the encounter newer applications. Staying on top of upgrading hardware and OS can help to ensure that your data – and your business – is safe.
- Productivity Frustrations: There are few things more aggravating in a business environment than waiting two minutes for a page to load, or having your order processing system continually crashing. When your employees are having to take 15 minutes to do a simple task, the productivity of the entire company suffers. Unfortunately, morale will also likely take a nosedive. Every professional needs the correct tools to do their job, and an antiquated system is rarely sufficient to keep things moving along. Customers on the other end of the line will soon pick up on the problem.
- Incompatibility or Obsolescence: Aging server hardware may not be compatible with the application software you need to operate your business. Not only is this frustrating for you, but it puts you at a competitive disadvantage. Postponing regular software and server maintenance may cause the entire system to shut down, necessitating a much more costly project than simply staying up to date little at a time. Think of it like maintaining a car. Regular maintenance is far more cost effective than a complete breakdown.By failing to keep on top of the technology upgrades you need, you may actually find yourself losing business, losing market share, and losing money.
So What Do We Do With Aging IT Infrastructure?
A great way to start is with a comprehensive technology assessment of your company. This assessment will take a snapshot of where you in regards to all computer hardware, software and peripherals, as well as identify those areas which are in need of immediate upgrading. When a professional managed services firm comes along side to help, we can help you to not only see where waste and a lack of productivity is occurring, but give you recommendations as to short, medium and long term solutions.
Everyone needs the right tools of their trade. In a connected and wired world, being behind the times is no longer smart, cost effective or competitive. Call Alliance IT. We can help you on the road to innovation.
