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You also could earmark the budget surplus for
upgrading and replacing PCs more regularly. Because entry-level PCs
are often one-half to two-thirds less expensive than top-of-the-line
models, you’ll still be way ahead of the game. Just don’t forget
to factor in a few hours of configuration time for each PC upgrade,
from an older to a newer PC.
Alternatively, maybe now’s a good time to
upgrade your Internet access to boost its performance and
dependability. Again, how you finagle your tech budget and related
investments is a very individualized decision, but think big
picture and don’t be afraid to break tradition.
Investment Mindset
Also, note here that I begin to use the word
“investment” in this book. You must think about your PC-related
purchases not just as one-time expenses but as traceable
investments. And, as any capital expenditure, well-thought-out PC
hardware purchases should provide a positive return on investment (ROI).
Don’t think of your PCs as office equipment. Your PC-related
assets have a much greater impact on the success or failure of your
business than a fax machine, photocopy machine, filing cabinet or
water cooler. Technology investments can make or break a small
business. So before you contemplate any major purchase, think about
the cost and the benefits, as well as how you’ll measure these
benefits.
Action Items
Does your company have a way to measure
return on investment (ROI) for various capital expenditures? If so,
do you currently extend this analysis to major technology purchases,
such as PC hardware investments?
Are PC hardware purchases the first thing
that comes to mind when you consider your technology budget?
What kind of end user technology training
do your employees receive? What kind of technical training does your
internal computer administrator, the internal guru, receive?
Does your company have a way to measure the
impact of training programs on employee productivity and computer
support costs?
Is the speed of your company's Internet
access adequate, or do employees frequently complain justifiably
about Internet access?
How reliable is your current Internet access service? How often does
the Internet access go down in a given month? How long is a typical
Internet access outage?
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