Buy it right or buy it twice. This may be the motto at Future Link IT and it should be yours too.
There isn’t a business out there running without software and hardware; however, there also isn’t a business out there thriving with the wrong software and hardware. The choices are vast and the details overwhelming, but each piece is so critical to your success.
By asking the right questions at the beginning, we help you avoid buying the wrong tools that can cause your business to spiral out of control.
Start by asking the right questions.
- Understand your operating system and compatibility. This step is critical considering that newer operating systems may not work well with older software and once invested your budget could spiral if you have to invest in unexpected software upgrades.
- Realize the expected life of a server is 5-7 years. The more your business grows, the more data you store and if you expect your server to handle your growth, you have to buy for the future. Analyzing what data will look like can be tricky, so getting the advice of an IT expert is very important.
- Set realistic expectations for your business downtime. In the case of a failure how long can your business manage with systems offline – 4 hours, 1 day, a week? Knowing this will help you invest in the proper backup system for your business and help you put a crisis plan in place.
- Evaluate the cost of installation and value of ongoing IT management. Calculate how much you can afford to spend, including hardware, software, installation and ongoing management. Know that the investment in an IT expert will keep your costs down over the long haul.
- Determine if you are a single or multi-user. Know that single user may apply to multiple workstations not just employees so if you plan to work from home, at the office and at the coffee shop you may need to invest in multi-user software. Giving your business room to grow may be a smarter investment than trying to find the loophole that will allow you to use what you have from wherever you are.
Buy for expectations of where your business will be in 3 – 5 years. If you buy for today’s needs, your system may not handle tomorrow’s requirements.