It’s easy to spend more money than necessary on your technology, especially in the business environment where there are so many frills, bells, and whistles that it’s difficult to know what you need. To help you stop wasting money on unnecessary technology, here are some of the most common places where businesses will waste IT capital.

Unneeded Hardware

We know businesses don’t intentionally spend more than necessary on hardware, but it’s remarkably easy to do in today’s consumer-based economy. Businesses will often invest in high-end technology that will grow obsolete in just a couple of years when it really, truly isn’t necessary for their purposes. The reality of business technology is that your team will need different technology based on their roles within your organization, so you shouldn’t use a blanket policy to cover every single employee.

For example, a graphic designer or video editor will need more powerful technology than your average office worker. Knowing what your team needs to do their jobs effectively will save you a lot of money in the long run. In some cases, you can avoid purchasing full-blown desktops for your team completely by going with cloud-based thin clients with virtual desktops hosted in the cloud.

Redundant Software

Most businesses want to help their employees by providing them with the solutions they need to thrive, but it’s a fine line to tread, as some 30 percent of software expenditures by businesses are completely redundant and unnecessary. In some cases, businesses already have a tool at their disposal for the task, leading them to spend thousands of dollars per employee on software they simply don’t need.

If you want to reduce these unnecessary costs, then the best way to do so is by using an annual software assessment in which you look at your business software and determine if it’s bringing value to your organization. This will help you make better decisions about what to implement and what to forego for your company.

Unnecessary Licenses and SaaS Accounts

IT is a lot of things, but above all else is that it’s a work in progress. Things will change over time, including the number of licenses and accounts you need for your software solutions. As people come and go or you onboard new employees, your plans might change, and if you’re not on top of your licenses or accounts, you might end up paying for things you aren’t actively using. The cloud is a great alternative to paying for licenses, as you can pay on a subscription basis rather than outright for software solutions.

The option to host your own software, though, is always there. You should conduct regular audits to ensure that you have minimal waste as a result of unused licenses or accounts. Cloud services are easy to scale according to your needs at any given time, making for more predictable expenses in the long term.

PC PLACE can help your business cut out unnecessary IT expenses and more responsibly use your IT capital for things that generate revenue for your organization. To learn more, call us today at (909) 435-4220.