Buying the right technology equipment for your business cannot be based on one factor. Maybe for you, it is brand. Or price.
Instead of focusing on one aspect, consider the big picture and the impact on your business. That means you need to be working with your IT Partner continuously. We’ll say it again – that means, you need to be working with your IT Partner.
It never hurts to let your IT Partner know before you make a change to your technology. Think of it this way, who will you call if something goes wrong with the purchase or installation? Start by contacting them, instead of waiting until you are outside your wheelhouse and need assistance.
This brings up another topic – local – which is a conversation for another blog!
Before purchasing, discuss with your local IT Partner:
- Why do I need this equipment/purchase?
- What are the specific needs for this equipment/purchase?
- What are the options available?
- How will this purchase be installed or implemented?
- Who will be managing this equipment moving forward? Support?
Here is a list of areas to contact your local IT Partner about before purchasing:
- Carrier switch/upgrading service
- New printer/copier
- Moving locations
- Moving offices around
- New laptop/workstation
- New employees
Let’s break this down further:
Need
- What are the pain points you want to resolve?
- Is this a lifecycle purchase (necessary upgrade to maintain optimization)?
- Is this an add-on purchase?
Specifications
- What will this purchase be used for?
- How does it impact the business as a whole? Is anything integrated or dependent on this purchase?
Options
- Are there alternative ways to meet our needs?
- What is my budget?
- What is the timeframe?
Implementation
- What needs to be done before installing?
- What will be the installation/migration process?
- What impacts or downtime will there be? (individual, business-wide)
- What login, tools, files, and programming needs to be replicated?
Support
- What support do I have during installation/implementation?
- Ongoing support for the product? Manufacturer, IT Partner, etc.
Lifecycle
- How does this fit into your Technology Lifecycle Management?
- Who is maintaining its lifecycle?
- What additional steps need to be considered over the lifespan of the purchase?
When to contact your IT Partner:
Always! Never hurts to let your IT Partner know before you make a change to your technology. Think of it this way, who will you call if something goes wrong with the purchase or installation? Start by contacting them, instead of waiting until you are outside your wheelhouse and need assistance.
It is always stressful when things go wrong – especially technology.
Complete our Vendor Documentation & Contact List to take away some of the stress. By completing the documentation and contact list, your business and team have a comprehensive understanding of who to contact when assistance is needed.