It is estimated that over three trillion dollars were spent this year on all things Information Technology. Computer hardware sales make up a large part of this number. But it isn't the just the cost of the new hardware that can have the biggest impact on an IT budget, as many businesses soon find out. The larger costs come from purchasing the necessary support to keep your hardware running.
The problem lies in the fact that much of today's hardware is built well and has a long lifespan. While this can be seen as a good thing, it turns into an issue when the hardware eventually becomes outdated. Companies must then decide how to save the most money. Should you invest in brand new hardware, upgrade your current hardware even though it still meets your needs, or pay a higher price to have your outdated hardware supported.
This is a difficult and often times a costly decision that must be made periodically to keep your systems updated and running efficiently. There is no easy answer but you can help lessen the burden on your budget by asking yourself these questions:
1. Do I have more support in some areas where I don't really need it? If you could manage with less support then you should drop it and save the money.
2. Am I being charged fair technical support rates by my reseller? Find out the rates that you would pay if you had purchased from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to verify whether or not you are over paying.
3. How long will my hardware be supported? It is important to know how much time your current equipment will last so that you have time to prepare for each end-of-life.
4. Is there a third-party technical support provider that can supply premium support at a lower cost to you? If never hurts to shop around; it could save you big money in the long run.
5. Are my reseller's OEM incentives being passed on to me as discounts? You should always negotiate with your reseller to ensure that you are getting every possible price reduction.
Having technical support for your hardware is a necessary cost in every IT budget. Knowing where you can cut back and save some money will help decrease the burden of this growing expense.
The problem lies in the fact that much of today's hardware is built well and has a long lifespan. While this can be seen as a good thing, it turns into an issue when the hardware eventually becomes outdated. Companies must then decide how to save the most money. Should you invest in brand new hardware, upgrade your current hardware even though it still meets your needs, or pay a higher price to have your outdated hardware supported.
This is a difficult and often times a costly decision that must be made periodically to keep your systems updated and running efficiently. There is no easy answer but you can help lessen the burden on your budget by asking yourself these questions:
1. Do I have more support in some areas where I don't really need it? If you could manage with less support then you should drop it and save the money.
2. Am I being charged fair technical support rates by my reseller? Find out the rates that you would pay if you had purchased from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to verify whether or not you are over paying.
3. How long will my hardware be supported? It is important to know how much time your current equipment will last so that you have time to prepare for each end-of-life.
4. Is there a third-party technical support provider that can supply premium support at a lower cost to you? If never hurts to shop around; it could save you big money in the long run.
5. Are my reseller's OEM incentives being passed on to me as discounts? You should always negotiate with your reseller to ensure that you are getting every possible price reduction.
Having technical support for your hardware is a necessary cost in every IT budget. Knowing where you can cut back and save some money will help decrease the burden of this growing expense.
About the Author:
Joseph B. Kappernick specializes in helping Fortune 500 companies save money. He recommends that you visit NPI to learn more about IT cost reduction solution service. This article, Ways To Lower Your Hardware Support Costs is released under a creative commons attribution license.
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