Nothing lasts forever--not even your loyal printer or your hardworking copier. That means, no matter how much maintenance you put into your fleet, you'll eventually be facing office equipment upgrades.
For many companies, that's synonymous with the end of the world. Who wants to pay for brand-new machines when the old ones technically still work? Who has the time to learn a new operating system and figure out all those unfamiliar features?
If these questions sound familiar, you're in "upgrade denial"--and it could be costing you. Here's what you need to know about office equipment upgrades (and why they're an important part of any healthy fleet).
Why You Might Be Avoiding Office Equipment Upgrades
So, you're in upgrade denial. What's causing you to procrastinate on office equipment upgrades that are likely inevitable?
Here are a few things you might be worried about (even if you don't realize it):
- Cost: This is a big one. New machines can seem pricey, especially if you have existing devices that, while not perfect, are technically functional.
- Labor: Office equipment is big, heavy, and difficult to maneuver. An upgrade means dragging old machines out and moving new machines in, which takes a lot of time and work.
- Installation: When it comes to office equipment, setup is rarely as easy as plugging the machine into the wall. Instead, there are a lot of steps to follow, especially if you need to connect your device to the internet.
- Learning curve: Even once your new office equipment is placed and installed, you'll have to learn a whole new set of functions, features, and rules.
With all these hesitations, it makes sense to live in upgrade denial. Unfortunately, though, this particular procrastination might be hurting your business.
The Cost of Outdated Office Equipment
What's the real cost of keeping outdated machines? Let's take a look:
Maintenance and repairs
The older a device gets, the more time, money, and effort you need to spend on maintenance and repairs. The problem is that you can quickly become blind to these costs because they're spread out over time instead of upfront like the price of new office equipment. That's why it's important to take a step back and think about how much you're really spending just to keep your existing machines up and running.
Energy consumption
Even in their heyday, your existing machines probably weren't highly energy-efficient. That's the simple truth of older office equipment: Manufacturers didn't have access to the knowledge and technology that make sustainability so much easier today.
As such, your old machines aren't just hurting your budget by wasting energy--they're also hurting the environment.
Security concerns
Older machines don't have the high-tech security upgrades that are built into newer devices. That might not seem like a big deal at first--after all, you've made it this far--but just a little bad luck is enough to make you regret putting off those office equipment updates.
Think of it this way: The longer you hold onto equipment with known security vulnerabilities, the more chances you give digital bad guys to take advantage of your procrastination.
Downtime
Sure, outdated office equipment might still work--but if it only works in temperamental bursts and breaks down when you need it the most, it's not really doing its job. It's difficult to measure the true cost of downtime, but you know it's eating away at your efficiency, interrupting workflows, and wasting money left and right.
Lost business
While it's difficult to tell for sure why you may have lost business, the chances are high that outdated office equipment isn't helping. That's because customers want to work with fast, tech-savvy brands--and if you don't want to upgrade your own machines, how can you offer them the latest and greatest service?
The Good News About Office Equipment Upgrades
That's a lot of bad news, right? Don't worry--there's a solution.
Office equipment upgrades.
Have you ever heard that, in some cases, wildfire can actually be good for the environment? It wipes out tangled undergrowth and can help plant life come back stronger. That's what you're doing when you upgrade your office equipment: getting rid of the tangled undergrowth to make room for something better, healthier, and even more impressive.
The key is to take all the details into account when budgeting for office equipment upgrades. How much are you spending in repairs and maintenance on your old machines? How much extra energy is eaten up by those inefficient models? Sure, every new machine is an upfront cost--but in the long run, upgrades actually save money.
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons you might be in upgrade denial. However, none of those reasons is good enough to make up for all the time, money, and effort you waste on outdated devices.
It's time for an upgrade.
If you're ready to say goodbye to wasteful machines, you're in the right place. Contact us today for help making office equipment upgrades fast, affordable, and stress-free.