Technology is no longer just limited to using computers and laptops but includes various other tools and applications to help simplify and streamline processes for businesses. More and more, businesses are investing heavily in technology and IT support to remain competitive and gain an edge over their competition. While it is necessary, technology can be expensive – particularly when it is not maintained properly.
The Impacts of Poorly Maintained Technology
Advancements in technology have revolutionized the way businesses operate. However, the downside of poorly maintained technology can be quite significant.
Security Breaches
Security breaches create nightmares for organizations. When technology is not maintained properly, security breaches are a very real possibility. The implications of security breaches can range from minor inconveniences to catastrophic events, with potential loss of sensitive data, reputational damage, financial loss and more. In a time where new cybersecurity threats are emerging every day, it’s important for individuals and organizations to be knowledgeable and proactive in maintaining their technology to minimize the risk of security breaches.
Employee Downtime
Employees are expensive. It’s not just their wages that businesses need to consider, they also need to factor in costs for health insurance, cell phones, laptops, and training – all of which quickly add up. Once you consider all employee costs, a $20-per-hour employee can easily cost your organization upwards of $30 per hour — which means that your employee time is extremely valuable.
Time vampires will cost your business
Old or aging equipment can put a substantial dent in this valuable employee time. Even a small delay of 10 minutes per day can quickly add up – we like to call these mini-disruptions “time vampires.” Consider an example of a small financial planning firm with 30 employees. Let’s say, for example, that each employee is delayed by 10 minutes every day waiting for a slow computer to boot up. Multiply this by 250 workdays in a year by $25/hour for employee wages. The final bill? $31,250 lost on an annual basis. Money that could unquestionably be better spent growing the business. Time vampires can really add up and ultimately impact your bottom line.
Save your business money by eliminating downtime with Tech Squared.
Lost Productivity
It’s not only dated technology that can cause problems. Technology debt is another issue that can be costly for businesses. Technology debt refers to outdated firmware or software that hasn’t been maintained or updated. Switches, network firewalls, services and Wi-Fi access points all need regular maintenance to keep them secure and working as they should. Once a manufacturer stops creating security patches for these devices, they become vulnerable to attacks. Even intermittent connectivity issues can be attributed to outdated firmware or old and failing hardware.
Unplanned Outages
Unplanned outages are another significant expense that should be avoided at all costs. Without proper maintenance and monitoring, dated technology may simply crater and the time to troubleshoot and get back up and running could be lengthy and expensive. Maintaining technology can help organizations avoid costly downtime due to system failures, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Getting the Best Bang for Your Technology Buck
By maintaining their technology, companies can ensure that they are employing the latest tools and security features to protect themselves and their customers against cyberthreats. Technology is a driving force behind the productivity and success of modern organizations, making it essential for them to invest in it and maintain it regularly.
There are two key ways that organizations can stay on top of their technological maintenance:
- Rotate your hardware and replace your IT infrastructure every 4-5 years.
- Work with a managed IT services provider who will stay ahead of your ongoing technology maintenance needs.
Avoid the Pitfalls of Outdated Tech with Tech Squared
Tech Squared is a leading IT support and managed IT services provider in Nashville. Technology maintenance is just one piece of our all-inclusive IT services offering. With over 125 years of combined
tech experience, we take great pride in not only keeping organizations safe and efficient but in helping them to thrive and grow.
Let’s connect today to discuss your IT needs.
