5 Ways to Get a Jump On IT Spending

Technology. It’s overwhelming, intimidating, ever-changing, and incredibly expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. 

Here are five ways to decrease your spending on tech, while bringing your company into the 21st century. Welcome to what’s next. 

As the battle of operating systems wages on between Apple and Microsoft, many businesses feel caught in the middle, unclear of which system to choose. Microsoft is the chosen brand of many corporate institutions, while Apple brings the sleekness and creative components that have made die-hard fans out of many converts. Once a side has been chosen, there is still the ever-present (and recurring) dilemma over which version to choose­—not to mention the potential nightmare of migration. Should we migrate from XP to Windows 7? What pitfalls, if any, might we encounter? 

Consider instead going OS-neutral. With the growing popularity of web-delivered software (also referred to as software as a service, or SaaS), companies can relieve themselves of a tremendous headache by relying on experts who deliver always-up-to-date applications via a web browser. This path allows employers to avoid worries over software updates, plus you have the added benefit of being able to “take your desktop with you,” as you can log in to your desktop from any computer in the world with a browser and web access.

Perhaps the most significant line item of any IT budget is the cost of hardware (primarily servers), and the hidden cost associated with hardware occurs when the IT department is pressured to estimate the right size. Assuming a large growth path, many servers must be ordered in advance to be ready to support the growth. Should downsizing be in the cards, one needs to plan on decommissioning servers, which are then worth a fraction of their purchase price. SaaS takes the guesswork out of your budget because it is scalable.

The average American now works longer hours than his overseas counterpart. If your company makes use of next-generation SaaS tools, your employees can have anytime-anywhere access to their desktops, allowing them to work remotely and during what would be considered off-hours if that’s what it takes to get the job done. We have found that when you make remote access to all aspects of the work environment easy for employees, they become infinitely more productive and efficient­—many log in to check for urgent issues before starting their morning commutes and check in again in the evening from their homes. This type of employee dedication can help propel a company from being just a player in its industry to being the player in its industry.

Okay, perhaps that isn’t how the saying actually goes, but the sentiment is valid. In this day of aggressive competition, it’s important to use every tool and advantage you can afford to keep in touch with your clients (and have a reliable means for including personal details and generating automated follow-up reminders). Customer relationship management (CRM) software is not new, but the leaders in this industry charge more than a pretty penny for their tools. Consider one of the “optimally sized” versions that can be a fraction the cost and will offer the core functionality you need. Don’t be left without such a valuable tool just because you’ve heard CRM software can be costly. 

Every industry has its own set of compliance rules and best business practices for achieving success. However, many companies overlook one of the most basic, yet most crucial, practices: e-mail archiving. This simple step can offer tremendous peace of mind and protection for the individual and organization. Automatic e-mail archiving software has the potential to serve as the most affordable business insurance you have ever had. Such software works invisibly in the background to back up all employee e-mail, protecting your company from accidental or intentional e-mail deletion. 

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