New technology can help businesses become more efficient and productive. However, investing in IT systems is not cheap. The upfront costs of hardware, software, and web services can cost your business thousands of dollars every year. And these costs can quickly multiply when you include the cost of repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. As such, it’s important to be strategic with your business’s IT expenses without compromising on productivity and strategic goals.
Here are five effective ways to reduce your IT costs:
1. Assess your current IT infrastructure
Review every component of your IT infrastructure and how much money your company is spending. This will enable you to identify which aspects need to be upgraded and which ones can be left as is. For example, your evaluation may reveal that your internet connection is not fast enough for your employees to work efficiently. Or you may find that your business is wasting money on underperforming servers.
If your in-house IT team lacks the time and expertise to conduct a proper IT assessment, you can outsource the task to a reliable managed IT services provider (MSP) like Complete Document Solutions. We will conduct a free comprehensive analysis of your IT system and offer recommendations on how to improve its performance while reducing costs.
Review every component of your IT infrastructure and how much money your company is spending. This will enable you to identify which aspects need to be upgraded and which ones can be left as is.
2. Reevaluate service level agreements (SLAs)
An SLA is a contract that outlines the minimum quality of service that you can expect from your third-party IT providers.
You need to review your SLAs to ensure you are getting the most out of your investment. Some cloud provider SLAs may include exorbitant fees for regular services like daily backups and proactive monitoring. In contrast, another provider may offer better terms at a lower price, so it's crucial to closely evaluate and negotiate your SLA terms.
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3. Combine IT vendors to reduce redundancy
Your business may have one vendor for your internet connectivity and another for your cloud-based applications. While this setup may get you the specific service you want, it can actually result in inefficiencies. This is because products or services made by different companies can be incompatible with one another and have redundant features.
When possible, use a single vendor for different IT services. This way, you only need to deal with one vendor, making it easier to manage your IT system. In addition, bundling different services from the same provider enables you to take advantage of discounts.
4. Implement a bring your own device (BYOD) policy
A BYOD policy enables employees to use their own personal devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets for work purposes. This helps your business save money on the purchase and maintenance of company-issued devices.
BYOD can also increase productivity because employees can use the devices and applications they are familiar with. What’s more, it can reduce your IT support costs, as employees will be responsible for troubleshooting their own devices.
When implementing a BYOD policy, you need to adjust your data security measures. For instance, employees must enable multifactor authentication and use a virtual private network when accessing your company network from their personal devices. These cybersecurity solutions make it harder for cybercriminals to steal sensitive information. You can also restrict the applications and data that employees can access outside the company network.
5. Partner with Complete Document Solutions
As your California business grows, you may feel the need to hire new personnel to manage your IT systems. This means spending money on recruitment and training, and paying employees’ salaries and benefits.
Instead of hiring full-time staff, you can partner with Complete Document Solutions. For an affordable monthly fee, our experts will provide you with the expertise and resources that you need to properly manage your IT system. This frees up your in-house IT team to focus on other tasks, which can increase their productivity. To learn more about our services, talk to us today.
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