Your company’s hardware is something that plays a large role in the productivity of your business. Simply put, without the right hardware, employees can’t do their job as expected and in an efficient manner. So, while it’s not difficult to understand the importance of hardware, what some businesses overlook is the importance of keeping up with upgrades and replacements on a regular basis. Curious as to how often your company’s hardware should be replaced? Let’s examine some common red flags to watch for that could signal it’s time to invest in new hardware.
You Don’t Want to Wait Until They Die
The first tip to keep in mind is that you always want to be ahead of the game, meaning you don’t want to wait until the hardware in the office dies to then replace it. This will result in downtime, which is never good for a business. Instead, you want to replace items as they start to deteriorate and no longer work as needed.
Five Years Should be the Maximum
A good rule of thumb to use for replacing hardware is to assume that five years will be the maximum amount of time you can get out of computer. Now that’s not to say it’ll stop working right at the five-year mark; it just means that by that point, the technology will become outdated, the software may no longer be compatible, and other issues will start to arise. If you get five years out of the equipment, you should feel satisfied in that investment.
Is the Hardware Slowing Down?
Other than age, another indicator can be when the hardware starts to slow down. Unfortunately, this can happen before the five-year mark, so you may need to act earlier.
Can You Still Perform Updates?
Everyone knows that updates happen on a regular basis. They help to keep your computer and network safe, secure, and working properly. So, what happens when your hardware becomes so old that updates are no longer supported or offered? This leaves the company vulnerable and exposed, which is never good.
What Does the IT Consultant Say?
Another great way to determine if you should upgrade your hardware is to have an IT consultant assess your current network and system – which will also include looking at your hardware. IT consultants are able to help you figure out the best way to use technology that will benefit your business and help it to meet its goals. That assessment could well result in you needing to replace the hardware so that employees can be more effective, your steps and processes can be streamlined, and things start to work more efficiently.
Act on a Revolving Basis
The final tip is to try to replace hardware on a revolving basis, always replacing a couple at once. Ideally, you don’t want every piece in the company to need replacement at the same time. That is extremely expensive, and again can result in downtime as everyone gets set up on the new computer.
When it comes to replacing your company’s hardware, it’s all about acting in a proactive, rather than reactive manner.