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With processor and memory-intensive software
applications, the employee productivity your company will gain with
leading-edge PC hardware likely will offset any major depreciation
cost concerns.
Also consider the salary required to attract
and retain highly technical professionals who run advanced software
applications. For example, if you have a veteran graphic design
artist on your payroll at a $60,000 base salary, you’d be foolish
to hinder the designer’s productivity with an entry-level PC. An
extra $1,000 a year on PC-related expenses for this designer easily
could drive a productivity gain that makes the incremental
expense seem trivial.
Note:
In many small businesses, the premium performance PC
purchased for the power user gets replaced every year or
two, and is passed down to an end user with less demanding
software requirements. This is one way to extend the life of
an expensive, high-end PC, while minimizing the
out-of-pocket and related support expenses of bringing new
PC hardware into your company.
Action Items
Who are the power users of desktop PCs in
your company? Why? What software applications do they utilize?
Do you know the specific recommended
hardware requirements of each software application used by power
users in your organization?
How does the power user hardware
configuration in your company differ from that of the typical
computer user?
What's the average purchase price and age
of desktop PCs in use by power users in your company?
Do you have a formal hand-me-down program
that cycles PC hardware down from power users to more typical end
users?
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