3 Solutions for Coping with Rising IT Costs

As business leaders, we have been challenged by rising inflation to cut costs across the board.  A cup of coffee now costs twice what we were spending just 3-4 years ago!  Everything from bottled water, toner cartridges, and Post-it notes has literally doubled in cost over the last several years.  Coping with rising IT costs has proven to be one of the greatest challenges facing small-and-medium-sized businesses.  As consultants in this space, we have a responsibility to point out some of the solutions we have discovered in helping our customers meet this ever-growing challenge.  Here we will review 3 of the top solutions we have found to keeping a cap on costs and getting the most out of your IT investment.

1.  Refresh Instead of Replace Computers

This solution is in stark contrast and flies in the face of what many IT consultants and managed service providers are recommending.  It is true that the cost of downtime can drastically increase the costs of IT... and it's also true that aging computers can exponentially increase the frequency of unexpected downtime.  Reducing downtime and improving ROI has always been one of our top priorities as a managed service provider... and as a small business leader attempting to cope with rising IT costs, it seems to reason that replacing computers often would be a simple "no brainer" solution to keeping your IT costs down.  In fact, some IT managed service providers will literally require that your computers must be replaced every 3 years!  This really isn't necessary in our opinion.  This reduces their cost of supporting your IT and then they take credit for "improved ROI" at your expense.

What symptoms are factors that may affect your decision to replace a computer?

• Slow performance 
• Freezing and locking up
• Older operating system
• Incompatibility with newer applications
• Risk of potential downtime
• Risk of loss of data
• Expensive unplanned repairs
• Expiring hardware warranty

Are we destined to line the coffers of the likes of Dell, HP, and Lenovo with our CapEx dollars year after year, in spite of the ever-increasing costs of hardware replacement?

Let's consider a very simple (almost laughably so) alternative:

1. Setup a Spare Computer (COST:  <$100) - Designate one of your aging computers to be set aside as a "spare" for any future emergency.  Upgrade this computer with a fresh solid state hard drive (roughly $100) and a freshly loaded operating system ($0 / no cost in most cases).  Pro Tip:  Have your IT resource prepare this computer with all the software that would be required so that it can be swiftly swapped in the event of a future failure of one of your company's computer workstations.
2. Setup Backups (COST:  $0) - Implement a policy across your company to ensure that critical data is always backed up.  Many of you are already storing your data in the cloud, or on a shared server or network storage space, which will minimize the potential for lost data.  Even so, there is always some data that gets stored on the local computer.  So, make sure to backup your workstations (yes... backup your workstations) with a reputable backup solution.  Pro Tip:  Use Veeam Endpoint Backup (free version available).  This way, in the event that the system fails, there is always a quick and reliable method of retrieving any missing files.
3. Replace Hard Drive (not the whole computer) (COST:  <$100) - Over time, computers get slower because of all the software and updates that have been installed.  Both SSD (solid state) and HDD ("spinner" drives) hard drives are increasingly prone to failure as they age.  Pro-actively address these issues by establishing a routine of replacing the hard drive and freshly loading the most current operating system with all security updates.  Pro Tip:  Always use a solid state hard drive!
4. Consider Extending Warranty (COST:  $100-$150) - Depending upon the specific hardware, it may make sense to renew / extend an original manufacturer's warranty.  By contacting the manufacturer (before the original warranty expires), you may be pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive this option can be.  This measure will keep you protected should an expensive hardware failure arise.

By implementing just the 4 above-mentioned tips, you eliminate some of your exposure and minimize the risks of downtime.  Depending upon how many computers comprise your organization's IT, this alone could greatly help in coping with rising IT costs, potentially saving thousands of dollars annually!

2.  Manage Printing Costs

Ok... This one hits home for me!  I literally despise printers and the fact that they are a part of the way we all must "do business".  There's no denying the fact that there may be legitimate reasons to print out a hard copy sometimes.  However, the costs of printing are absurd... and getting worse!  Not to mention, there is an immense toll on the environment as we consume power, toner cartridges, ink, and the all plastic parts that typically comprise the behemoths that occupy the corner spaces within our offices (both at home and in the business office), ultimately finding their home in our landfills.  All the while, we suffer through paper jams and poor print quality.  One of my all-time favorite movie scenes is the one from Office Space when the IT team takes their pent up frustrations out on the office printer by taking it out to the field and beating it to pieces! (Warning:  Explicit Language / Content :  https://youtu.be/DkZIDla1b4A?si=jZmap5hY-g4sxwOJ ).

Here are some suggestions for keeping the costs down (and the frustrations minimized) when it comes to your printers:

• Don't use remanufactured toner cartridges.  As tempting as it may be, it's just not worth it.  Toner cartridges are comprised of wearable parts that will ruin your printer if you use the remanufactured ones and cause you way more frustration than the savings are worth.  Stick to the more expensive manufacturer OEM cartridges (even though they're typically twice as expensive).
• Minimize color printing.  The cost of full-color printing is roughly triple that of black-and-white printing.  Most printers have a setting that will ensure that the default print method is black-and-white.  Take advantage of this setting so that you preserve expensive color toner cartridges as long as possible and maximize your ROI.
• Print to PDF.  On several occasions, I've witnessed people send a print job to the printer only to immediately scan the printed content and toss the printed paper into the trash can thereafter.  Typically, this is only because the person hasn't ever been trained on how to print their content directly to a PDF document.  Consider setting the default printer to the "PDF Printer" so that any print can be viewed in a PDF prior to sending to the printer. This can be a game changer and will definitely help in coping with rising IT costs.  Pro-Tip:  Many software applications come with a "Print to PDF" feature
• Invest in a Shared Printer.  Instead of purchasing a local printer, installing, maintaining and troubleshooting each one for multiple individuals, centralize the solution by investing in a shared workplace multi-function printer, scanner, and copier solution.  There are several very good options available for less than $1,000 that can serve well in this capacity.
• Avoid Ink Printers.  Inkjet printers are drastically more expensive to own and maintain.  Many times the cost of ink cartridges can exceed the original cost of the printer itself.  Stick with laser printers.
• Double-Sided Printing.  Many printers support the option to print on both sides of the paper.  By setting this mode as the default print method, you'll be reducing the costs of paper, minimizing environmental impacts, and better coping with rising IT costs.  Whenever single-sided printing is desired, simply change the option on a case-by-case basis before sending the job to the printer.

3.  Supplement your IT Team

Do you have an internal IT team / person?  Many businesses are fortunate enough to have at least one person who can assist with the day-to-day IT troubleshooting issues that may present.  As your business grows and the IT challenges begin to demand more and more time from your team, coping with rising IT costs while growing your staff can be a difficult endeavor.  Even the most reliable IT staff will fall ill once in a while and will, of course, require a vacation from time to time.  What cost-cutting strategies can you implement to expand IT resources, reduce workload, and improve morale?

Let's consider some options:

• Cross-train existing staff. Your current IT team/person should spend at least several hours each week training non-IT staff on how to best self-resolve some of the issues that may be impacting productivity.  For example:
  • Train staff on how to replace toner cartridges and/or clear paper jams in office printers,
  • Train at least one of your existing staff to help with troubleshooting common desktop issues (low drive space, reboot computers, keyboard/mouse battery replacement, checking cable connections, etc.).
  • Train at least one of your existing staff to help with installing a fresh copy of Windows operating system and/or software applications to free up the more advanced-level IT person to focus on more difficult / critical issues.
• Implement Automation.  Many tasks can be put on auto-pilot to reduce the ongoing daily workload of your IT person.  For example, by implementing a daily scheduled reboot to occur early in the morning before working hours, all computers can be freshly available (and hopefully less likely to have problems) by the time staff arrives and begins using them.  Custom scripts can also be scheduled to optimize system performance and cleanup unnecessary files.
• Implement an internal IT Ticketing System.  By setting up an affordable solution for tracking IT helpdesk requests within your organization, requests can be more easily managed and prioritized by the IT person.  There are many solutions available and you may be surprised at how affordable they can be.
• Establish an internal CyberSecurity Awareness Training Program.  Implementing a basic educational program to keep your staff updated on the latest cybersecurity threats can minimize the ongoing costs / demands related to recovering from breaches and data loss.
• Co-Managed IT.  Outsourcing some of the IT needs to a professional services firm, such as a managed IT services provider or other consultancy can provide much-needed relief at an affordable flat and budgetable price point.  Many times an outsourced IT resource can provide 24/7 on-demand support at a fraction of the cost of an entry-level IT position.  Some of the ways a managed services partner may be able to assist are as follows:
  • Providing advanced-level resources for special projects that may exceed the expertise level of the internal IT team/ person,
  • Alleviating the demand of staff on the internal IT person for desktop support and/or other repetitive tasks,
  • Implementing some standard IT best-practices to proactively address exposures that can present bigger problems down the road.  Examples of such areas would be establishing a Backups & Disaster Recovery Policy, a documenting and implementing a Standard Computer Use Policy, and regularly auditing IT systems and processes.

A "Shameless Plug"

TechWorks has been able to help many of our customers identify areas where IT costs can be consolidated and minimized.  In fact, many customers have discovered that they can partner with our team of IT professionals and begin realizing an immediate return on their investment.  For example, a recent customer has reduced their ongoing IT expenditures by 70% (over $72,000 in annual savings) after partnering with TechWorks.  This is AFTER the cost of our ongoing services have been factored into the equation.  How's that as a perfect example for Coping with Rising IT Costs ?  Reach out to us today if you'd like to explore some options for your own company.  There's no obligation and we're pretty good at helping our local small businesses manage their IT! 

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Conclusion

There are many ways that you can address the challenges of coping with rising IT costs and I'm hoping this article may have sparked some ideas that you can put to work within your business.  One thing is certain, costs will continue to rise, and managing / maintaining a healthy and productive IT environment will continue to be one of the priorities for growing your business and remaining profitable.