Need to Upgrade ?

Every year brings the introduction of new computer hardware and software. If you believed all the advertising hype for these new or updated products, you’d think you needed to run out immediately and replace all the computers and software programs in your small business. In most cases, that’s simply not true. Sometimes, you do need to update your hardware and software, but knowing when to do that can be tough. Here are some questions to ask to help you with such decisions:

• How much will productivity increase? – In some cases, more powerful new systems only affect actual productivity in a minor way. For example, word processing software’s speed is primarily controlled by keyboard operations. A newer version of the software won’t increase your employees’ typing speed. On the other hand, replacing an aging PC can dramatically decrease time spent waiting for graphics software to process changes in an image or video. Assessing productivity improvements is an important issue.
• Will upgrading mean retraining? – In some cases, particularly with software, a major upgrade can force you to retrain current employees to handle the new version. Microsoft Office, for example, made drastic changes recently. These changes slowed down worker productivity until they learned the new version. Hardware upgrades, on the other hand, generally don’t require retraining.
• Is the new hardware or software compatible? – In most cases, new hardware and software can work with older versions or equipment if configured properly. Incompatibility with customers and clients is another issue to consider, if your business involves data sharing.
• Can I update hardware instead of replacing it? – In many cases, the answer is that you can. Adding additional memory and storage to older computers can improve their performance. However, this only works up to a point. The latest software may have requirements that your old equipment can’t meet. When that happens, you will need to replace the old hardware as well.
• Can I replace just some of my current hardware? – Probably. By replacing only the hardware that is slowing down your productivity, you can realize savings. Often the replaced hardware can be used to update even older hardware in your business, or re-purposed to add capability to your system. A careful analysis can save plenty.
• We have some pretty old PCs. Should they Go? – Maybe. Today’s PCs and laptops have a useful life of about five years. After that, you run the risk of hard drive and other component failure. In addition, older equipment is probably on the edge of compatibility with more modern hardware and software. Replacing some more recent hardware and moving the replaced hardware to replace hardware near the end of its life can be a workable solution.
• What about Laptops and Notebook Computers? – These useful tools generally have a shorter life than desktop computers. They’re also harder to upgrade with additional memory and storage. To keep your field staff productive, you may well have to replace these portable computers more often. Monitor how well they’re working and listen to staff complaints to help you make these decisions.
• How Do I Dispose of Old Computer Hardware? – Today’s environmental laws prohibit simply discarding computer hardware. You can find information on recycling old computer hardware right here on this website.

At Help Desk Monkey, we understand the need for updating small business computer systems. We can help you decide what to update and when, and we always work to help you keep upgrade costs down. We can update both desktop and laptop computers with additional memory and storage. We can upgrade server hardware, too, to extend its productive life. When new hardware and software is needed, rely on Help Desk Monkey to install it and integrate it into your current system. Contact us now to discuss your computer upgrade and update needs.