A hardware refresh schedule is simply a strategy set by a company to regularly upgrade and replace outdated technology with the latest and most innovative models. It ensures your business runs efficiently, securely, and productively.
Hardware refresh schedules usually relate to laptop and desktop computers but may also involve servers or network devices. Servers can often be “upgraded” rather than refreshed or replaced. For more information on Server End of Life issues, check out our blog, Windows Server End-of-Life: What Does it Mean for You?
In this blog post, I will start by discussing the importance of a hardware refresh schedule and how it can benefit your business. Then, I will review best practices for implementation.
How Will a Hardware Refresh Schedule Benefit Your Business?
1. Improve Performance and Efficiency
The most significant advantage of implementing a hardware refresh schedule is to improve performance and efficiency. As technology ages, it is subject to unexpected hardware failures that increase the probability of unexpected downtime and work stoppages. For mission critical workers this can mean missed sales, customer deadlines, and back-office core functions.
Additionally, as technology advances, your business will require the latest hardware to keep up. By replacing outdated technology, you will gain access to faster processors, larger storage capacity, and improved memory.
These upgrades will ensure your employees can work more efficiently and complete their tasks faster, improving overall productivity.
2. Enhance Security
Outdated hardware is more vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks, which can lead to significant data breaches, lost revenue, and a damaged reputation. A hardware refresh schedule can help you stay ahead of potential threats by ensuring your security systems are up to date and offering the latest in terms of security patches and software updates.
3. Cost Efficiency
Investing in new hardware can be costly, but implementing a hardware refresh schedule can save you time and money overall. Regular upgrades will help prevent costly repairs and reduce downtime. Plus, with new hardware solutions, you can reduce energy consumption, leading to lower electricity bills and running costs.
4. Strategic Growth
A hardware refresh schedule can also help you plan for your business's strategic growth. It allows you to budget for technology upgrades, enabling you to plan for growth and expansion while minimizing the risk of unexpected expenses.
By doing so, your business can stay competitive while delivering innovative products and services.
5. Keep Employees Happy
By providing your employees with reliable, high-performing technology, you will keep them happy and motivated as they work towards achieving your business objectives.
Frustration and stress caused by outdated hardware can lead to a high staff turnover rate as employees may seek opportunities elsewhere that offer better work tools and conditions. This issue can be addressed by refreshing your technology to keep employees motivated and committed to your business.
Best Practices For Hardware Refresh Schedules
Set the Frequency
The frequency of hardware refresh schedule depends on your unique business needs. However, most often, you should update your technology at least every four years. Certainly, you do not want to waste money doing it too early, but you also do not want to wait until the last minute or wait until things just start to break.
Best practice is to refresh your hardware every three years, particularly when it comes to laptop and desktop computers.
Make a Plan
Having a hardware refresh schedule assumes that you have a plan, right? Unfortunately, many businesses simply wait until problems start to arise before putting a plan in place.
So, best practice is to plan well ahead—even putting a plan in place for your next refresh when your current refresh is complete. Having a plan made well in advance will enable you to budget more effectively and perhaps even stagger your hardware refresh cycles to make it more financially manageable.
Plus, you limit the amount of disruption to your business and your employees by having a well-defined and communicated plan in place.
Dispose Responsibly
Decommissioning your outdated hardware can be a lot of work and is often done in an environmentally irresponsible way. Best practice is to engage a professional to help dispose of your old equipment.
Not only will they do this responsibly, but it also ensures that your business data remains safe.
Keep Your Business Technology Updated & Secure With Gant Systems
With the many advantages offered by new hardware solutions, keeping a schedule for hardware upgrades is an excellent investment for your business.
It improves your business's performance and efficiency, enhances your security, reduces energy consumption, and provides employees with reliable equipment, leading to improved morale and productivity in the workplace. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize technology upgrades with a hardware refresh schedule as a smart business investment.
If you are wondering if your business is ready for a hardware refresh, consider engaging with Gant Systems. We'll start with an assessment of your network, then we'll work with you to determine the right time to refresh and help you develop a plan that minimizes downtime and improves productivity. Book a Discovery Call to learn more!
