5 Ways to Save Money on IT Expenses
Every company has to spend money on IT in some form or fashion. If you can save money without sacrificing productivity and security, though, you can direct some additional cash to other areas of your business.
Lower your IT expenses by following these 5 tips.
Adopt a BYOD Policy
In 2017, about 80% of employees brought their own mobile devices to work. That’s not surprising, considering 77% of Americans own smartphones.
Since most of your employees already bring mobile devices to work, you can adopt a BYOD (bring your own device) policy so you don’t have to spend money on smartphones for them. Research shows that you’ll get a boost in productivity while you save money.
Keep in mind that BYOD can make your business more susceptible to security problems. Make sure you set strict security standards to protect your organization.
Turn to the Cloud
Using the cloud for applications and data storage offers several cost-saving advantages. Some of the most important benefits include:
- Reducing your labor costs.
- Saving money on equipment.
- Lowering the amount that you spend housing and powering equipment.
- Using a pay-as-you-go model to spread costs out over time.
If you haven’t started using the cloud, then you’re almost certainly spending more money than necessary on your equipment and software.
Use More Open Source Applications
Buying enterprise software can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You can avoid those IT expenses by switching to free, open source applications. Many of the free applications work just as well as the ones that cost a lot of money.
Some of the most popular open source applications that you can explore include:
- LibreOffice Suite for creating documents.
- SuiteCRM for customer relationship management.
- OpenCart for eCommerce.
- Helpy for managing customer support.
- WordPress for creating a website.
- MyCollab for project management.
Explore several open source applications to find options that match your business’s needs.
You can also save money by using an open source operating system. Windows 10 Enterprise costs about $84 per user per year. Depending on how many employees you have, that charge can add up to a significant amount of money. You can avoid that expense by using an OS like Ubuntu, Fedora, Solus, and other Linux-based systems. You will, however, have to spend more time training employees to use a Linux-based OS.
Important note: While the costs savings will be apparent from the get-go, keep in mind that these open source applications will be considerably harder to support. If something goes wrong, you might find yourself out of luck.
Keep that in mind when considering if they’re worth it to you.
Invest in Equipment That Will Last
Buying inexpensive equipment may seem like a good way to save on IT expenses. Unfortunately, cheap equipment won’t perform as well as equipment that costs a little more. By investing more money in your equipment today, you can avoid additional spending in the future. After all, it’s better to purchase a server that lasts 5 years instead of two that last 2 or 3 years.
Keep in mind that expensive equipment doesn’t always work better than cheaper alternatives. You should always read reviews and talk to IT professionals before you invest in any equipment.
Let Some Employees Telecommute
Telecommuting has a lot of benefits. It can increase employee productivity, reduce turnover, and improve morale. Letting employees work remotely also means that you don’t have to spend money on computers, energy, and office space.
Certain employees, of course, need to work in the office. There’s a good chance, though, that you can let some of your team members work from home. In return, you’ll spend considerably less money on IT.
Final Thoughts on IT Expenses
You’ll always have to spend money on IT expenses. If you follow these tips, though, you can shrink your IT budget. If you’re looking for a better way to cut costs, consider reaching out to a professional that can audit your technology. Working together with you, a consultant can show you exactly what you can cut from the budget (and what you shouldn’t).