Embracing rapid change is difficult for many of us. With Information Technology, when it feels like we've become accustomed to new methods of compiling, organizing, and analyzing data for accurate and timely decision-making, access to something new and better comes along.
The Technology Upgrade Challenge
As technology continues to rush forth rapidly, IT managers frequently face an “upgrade” challenge. Their responsibility is to:
Determine if the additional cost of new technology and training and acquiring new hardware, files and software assets will be justified by a notable improvement in accuracy, speed, capacity, mobility, and competitiveness.
Assess whether skipping the newest generation of IT capability will make staying abreast of future innovation impossible.
Make sure the IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) challenge is not too burdensome.
As with other scientific breakthroughs throughout history, many reject the innovation and prefer to remain with their old, “tried and true” methods, espousing the attitude that “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Unfortunately, in many instances, their process may be “broke.” Historically, even doctors and dentists have clung to older methods, believing that certain new technologies bring no greater accuracy or effectiveness to their practices. For example, a veteran dentist today, unwilling to adopt the training and equipment expense, may ignore the advances in precision laser dentistry, preferring instead to stick with (painful!) drilling and scraping to accomplish their mission.
Naturally, their clients begin to move toward newer, less painless options.
Many IT Asset Managers are also reluctant to consider upgrades that challenge their “tried and true” approach, even though today's challenges are far more severe than a decade ago. But, while numbers and data still crunch accurately with the existing systems, recent security threats and complex compliance standards are demanding more and more sophisticated methods for effective enterprise IT management.
Reluctance to Change
IT Asset Managers may be reluctant to change for several reasons. These may include:
- Insufficient budget
- Unwillingness to disrupt their “routine”
- Expense and time required to retrain
- No ITAD Plan
Creating an ITAD Plan on Time
One of the biggest challenges of adopting new and more sophisticated IT systems is managing the older IT asset disposition. Not only must the used equipment be disposed of responsibly without endangering the environment, all data within the equipment must be erased entirely to ensure it never falls into the wrong hands.
Importance of a Trustworthy ITAD Service
ITAD does not have to be expensive if a solid, well-developed plan is implemented. Finding trustworthy ITAD partners is vital since “open book” information sharing is a positive component of keeping disposition costs down.
Financial Impact of ITAD
Much of your used equipment may have resale value. Individual assets or parts can be resold, thereby reducing your enterprise's total cost of ownership and disposition costs.
Security
Your ITAD partner will ensure and document the removal of all data from the IT assets before disposal. PCs, tablets, mainframes, and mobile phones that continue to hold data can become a significant security threat to your business.
Environmental Impact
Responsibly submitting your used equipment for refurbishment, reuse, or recycling will divert much of your discarded material from the landfill.
Moving Forward
While effective IT Asset Disposition results from a decision to upgrade your company's capabilities, the process frees up space for new technology. It will provide you with greater efficiency, a higher level of competitiveness, and more accurate data to execute real-time decisions.
ITAD May Involve Everyone
While your ITAD strategy incorporates outside professionals to help execute the plan or project, the overall process will involve many of the organization's internal sectors. These may include:
- Executive Management: Budget decisions
- Legal: Compliance with existing regulations
- Risk Management: Potential impact of improper ITAD strategy
- IT Data Security: Ensuring all data is 100% cleaned of any existing data
- Sustainability Team: Environmentally-responsible process
- Facilities Issues: Where to store equipment during the disposition
- Logistics: Moving the equipment from the facility to the next destination
- Purchasing/Supply Chain: Involving the acquisition of new equipment and all accessory supplies and components.
As your enterprise expands, a carefully developed ITAD Strategy will keep you in control, aware of the competition and minimize the real cost of information technology.
IT Asset Disposition, Third-Party Maintenance, and Secure IT Support Solution
One highly respected Medina, Ohio, company, thomastech, offers comprehensive IT support, service and active strategies for successful enterprises and organizations worldwide. The company's IT experts offer secure, professional, state-of-the-art support that allows companies to focus on their objectives while reducing IT costs.
For more information regarding the extensive third-party maintenance support that thomastech provides, visit access our website at https://thomastechllc.com/. You may complete the brief online Contact form, and one of thomastech's professionals will contact you.
You may also call thomastech at 1-330-225-3117 to learn more about thomastech's services.
