Keeping up with the times not only entails applying more efficient work models and conditions in your office. It also requires you to keep up with the latest trends in enterprise-scale technology. Here are three tips to keep you on your feet when it comes to office equipment.
Replace hardware only when needed.
There are only two instances when hardware needs to be thrown in the recycle bin: when they’re too outdated or when up-keep’s become too expensive. You don’t really need the newest pieces of technology to keep your business savvy and running smoothly. You don’t even need to buy whole pieces of hardware whenever something breaks down in the office. Simply replacing specific parts should suffice in most instances, but if it still doesn’t do the trick, you’re better off buying that same piece of hardware as a whole.
Sometimes, you don’t even need to purchase brand new hardware as a replacement for obsolete equipment. Some businesses purchase used or refurbished office equipment that still run properly and efficiently. Not only does doing this save on costs and help reduce tech waste. It also put still-working technology to good use. If you’re looking for well-maintained secondhand hardware, check out JJBender.com.
Keep all software updated.
Don’t forget about your office software. It’s important that you keep yourself up-to-speed with any new patches for any programs you use at work, most especially your virtual security and database programs. Updates usually come with more, better features for security, accessibility, and management. Programmers also use updates as a way to provide their customers with early access to features they’re still testing.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to update your programs every time new patches for them are announced. The tricky part about keeping your software updated is finding out which patch is the most stable among all patches available at any given time. Although they fix bugs found in versions that precede them, newer patches usually have their own bugs, and sometimes they’re worse than what they’ve remedied. It’s all a matter of discerning which patch works for you right now and could work for you until the next major software update.
Schedule regular hardware and software maintenance.
It’s equally important to keep all your equipment, whether physical or digital, in check. Regular maintenance is key to maximize the longevity of these facilities and to reduce operational costs.
Hardware maintenance can be as easy as taking apart a CPU, cleaning the internal components, and putting it back together, or it can be as tricky as replacing the hard drives of server stations. What’s important about hardware maintenance is that you keep all your physical parts clean, so that they continue running smoothly and efficiently. Dirt, liquids, and other foreign substances do damage the physical parts of any hardware, like the motherboard of a CPU. If it isn’t kept dry and clean, the motherboard is left prone to oxidization, thus rendering its electrical facilities unable to process electronic information. If you’re experiencing maintenance problems, you can check in with companies like https://www.jjbender.com that sell used printers at very attractive price points.
Software maintenance isn’t as tricky. Most programs today have automated scans to ensure checks and balances, but the human touch isn’t exactly out of the picture just yet. If a program is compromised, it may not be able to scan itself as properly, and that’s where manual repairs come in. Determining specific issues is the first battle, but to win the war, one must need to troubleshoot those specific issues and find a way to ensure those issues are never encountered again.
Ready to take your office to the next level? Follow these three modernization tips for a faster, more efficient business.