Does your dealership have older servers and PC hardware as part of its IT setup? It’s not so strange for hardware to last for years, whether it’s on the backend or the sales floor. After all, if your technology doesn’t break down, why spend time and money fixing or replacing it? There are hidden risks, however, to letting hardware stick around for years.
In fact, there are two categories of improvement that can be achieved with PC and server upgrades. The first is dealing with risks, keeping hackers from compromising your data and preventing surprise hardware failure. The second involves functional upgrades and improvements, making everyday tasks more smooth and efficient – and pointing the way toward the future.
Why You Should Upgrade Your PCs
Old PCs can end up draining your budget, sometimes in unexpected ways. For instance, Intel explained there are productivity costs to using cold computers. When workers’ efforts are constantly hampered by hardware that isn’t up to modern standards, employee contributions fall – through no fault of those team members. With every task, from back-office financial work to sales information lookup, handled on a computer, the impact of old hardware can be felt widely.
Then, there are the more direct expenses incurred by old hardware. Intel added it can be more expensive to constantly fix old hardware than to simply buy new systems. Working with a top IT provider, you can replace your dealership’s PCs with reliable modern models that will also increase employee productivity. You should also consider the security implications of staying with aging hardware – operating systems such as the extremely popular Windows XP have stopped receiving manufacturer support, raising the specter of cyberthreats.
Why are updated systems an essential part of IT?Why You Should Upgrade Your Servers
When it comes to refreshing your business’s IT systems, you shouldn’t stop with the PCs on the sales floor and the back offices. Heading into the server room may reveal outdated and non-optimized assets, and securing replacements could enhance your dealership’s capabilities. The main risk of keeping a server online past its prime is the danger that it will simply fail, switching off and taking all the apps running on it down with it. Such a crash would leave your essential management systems offline, curtailing productivity until you spend to replace or rehabilitate the server.
IDC research points to the benefits of a regular refresh cycle for server hardware. Instead of working systems until they fail unexpectedly, you can commit to periodic upgrades which will also help your IT systems keep up with constant competitive adjustment in the field. Dealerships that keep their IT setups in line with current trends in the industry will be better equipped to meet customer and employee demands than those that are running outdated servers rather than replacing them.
Finding a Solution in a Technology Partner
When you bring in a third-party IT solution and service provider, you gain a guide to efficiently and effectively replacing your systems. Being proactive about upgrades is an important way to not only avoid the catastrophe of a sudden failure, but also keep your team working at peak efficiency. In an IT-driven world, you can’t afford to let your hardware fall behind. Contact us today to learn more.
