We live in an era of upgrades. Consider how often people upgrade their smartphone. Do you give the same care and attention to your business’ technology? Oftentimes users ignore the signs that it is time for an upgrade even when they are crystal clear, just saying to themselves, “I’ll get by just fine.”’ This is not the mentality that will help you move beyond your current productivity. You need to be able to identify when older devices are holding you back and take steps toward replacing them with better, more powerful ones.
Here are three tips that you can keep in the back of your mind for the next time you think you need to replace your technology.
Considerable Slowdown
Over time, your device might experience a bit of slowdown. This is to be expected, especially as more powerful devices are released and you constantly have to compare your own device experiences with those of your coworkers. There isn’t much you can do about device slowdown over an extended period of time, so if it starts to get a little too much to handle and it is harder to keep up with your daily tasks, then perhaps it’s time to consider an upgrade.
Stymying Productivity
Your device is going to experience some wear and tear over time, but when it starts to impact your ability to be productive in the workplace, you know it’s time to start thinking about an update. If your computer starts to crash periodically throughout the workday, or you are constantly dealing with other issues that keep you from doing your job the way you’re supposed to, start considering your path to a device update or upgrade.
Incompatibility with Application Upgrades or Security Patches
This is the most obvious sign that it’s time to upgrade your device. If your devices are no longer supported by patches and security updates, continued use of this device could lead to security breaches or sensitive data being stolen from your device. You can bet that hackers will take any opportunity they can get to spread viruses, malware, or other threats to your device, so you need to use this opportunity to crush their dreams by updating your device or upgrading to a new model.
Of course, there is also the possibility that the device simply needs some repairs or regularly scheduled maintenance to get back into tip-top shape. This is especially the case for desktop workstations, as there are many components that go into making them tick. We urge you to speak to a professional before committing to a full-blown replacement or upgrade of your device, whatever it happens to be.
The IT professionals at North Central Technologies can help your business upgrade devices or acquire new ones as needed, no matter where you are in the process. Whether you need to discard older devices, properly wipe the data on them, or start from scratch with acquisition, we’ve got your back during this difficult process. Get started with this process by reaching out to us at 978-798-6805.