Virtually every modern business relies on information technology to grow and prosper. This makes IT a significant source of their business spending. While the bulk of a typical company’s IT department comes in the form of personnel who are difficult to replace and impossible to eliminate, a substantial portion of their IT investment can be altered and adjusted without risking catastrophe. This adds up to significant savings for the average enterprise.
The following are great ways for businesses to lower their IT costs without disrupting efficiency:
Virtualization
The process of virtualization is considered one of the best ways for organizations to lower their IT expenses. Simply put, it sidesteps the investment in duplicate hardware, storage devices, and network resources by creating virtual versions of these IT essentials. While your current IT staff might need to consult a VMWare help forum to iron out the details of the implementation of virtualized systems, the bottom line will undoubtedly be lower costs. This makes sense considering how virtualization substitutes costly elements of IT infrastructure without diminishing their role in the day to day operations of modern business.
Offshoring
There’s no denying the cost-effective aspect of having work done by qualified professionals overseas. This is especially true when it comes to the duties and responsibilities of IT for business. While critical aspects of business IT are better off managed and executed by in-house employees, many duties can be safely assigned to outsourced IT personnel. Finding reliable pros overseas to do these menial IT tasks is a great way for any business to reduce costs associated with their IT department without worrying about the quality of service.
The Cloud
Moving business data to cloud storage is a surefire way to lower IT costs. While many startups and other newly minted companies have likely already opted for this option, older organizations that previously invested heavily in local data storage are encouraged to make the transition during their next major IT systems update. Using cloud services not only lowers costs for businesses, it also provides better cybersecurity protection for their data.
Older Hardware
There was once a time when state-of-the-art hardware provided a major advantage to companies. Having their staff equipped with the latest and greatest computers meant they were able to work faster, operate smoother, and increase productivity. But the truth is that hardware has not advanced that much in recent years, to the point where upgrades provide a negligible boost in employee performance. With this in mind, companies can save money on IT costs by opting for older hardware.
Open-Source Software
Businesses big and small can lower IT costs by opting for open-source software. For those unfamiliar, open-source means the software is available for anyone to use for any reason. While it lacks the apparent legitimacy of mainstream commercial software provided by Microsoft and other companies, open-source gives companies the chance to operate on the same level as their competitors without heavy investment in software. This can give startups the edge they need to succeed.
IT represents a significant portion of the average company’s annual expenses. Given the incredible role of digital tech in today’s world, this shouldn’t come off as a surprise. While there’s no avoiding most of the costs associated with IT, that doesn’t mean companies can’t find ways to reduce their IT-related expenses. They just need to focus on the right elements and respond accordingly.
