By all estimates, over three trillion dollars were spent this year on all things Information Technology. Computing hardware sales make up a large part of this huge 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 real cost comes from purchasing the support necessary to keep your hardware running.
Today’s hardware has been built to last a lot longer than in the past, and therein lies the problem. While having hardware that is built well and has a long lifespan might sound ideal, it turns into an issue when the hardware eventually becomes outdated. Companies must then decide how to go about saving 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new hardware, upgrade your current hardware even though it still meets your needs, or pay a higher price to have your outdated hardware supported.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 hard and often costly decision that must be made periodically to keep your systems updated and running efficiently. While there is no magic solution, you can help lessen the burden on your budget by asking yourself these questions:
1. Are there areas where I have more technical support than I actually need? If you can manage with less support then you should drop it and save the money.
2. Is my reseller charging me fair rates for support? Find out the prices you would pay if you purchased from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to know if 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 give you premium support at a lower rate? It never hurts to get prices from alternative providers-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 make sure you are getting every last price reduction available.
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.
Joseph B. Kappernick specializes in helping Fortune 500 companies save money. He recommends that you visit NPI to learn more about IT cost reduction service. Check here for free reprint license: What Are You Doing To Lower Your Hardware Support Costs?.