In the past couple of years, you may have needed to replace a device in your IT system. Did you discover that the cost had gone up, or that the item wasn’t obtainable? That’s probably because there’s a hardware shortage, and business electronics are in particularly short supply. This is a problem because many businesses are heavily dependent on their technology. This can affect your normal business operations, so it’s important to understand the impact of the current hardware shortage.
You may be aware that the hardware shortage has come about because of a shortage of components, and semiconductors in particular. This scarcity of components affects every link in the chain, from manufacturing to the availability of devices for purchase. Clearly, this has a knock-on effect for businesses needing to acquire new items of hardware. Here are some of the ways that businesses have been affected.
Price Point
When the price of components goes up, the cost of the device as a whole goes up too. Manufacturing costs increase, and those costs are passed on to consumers down the line. IT services can also become more expensive, since providers also have to purchase equipment in order to provide those services to their clients.
Acquisition Delays
Acquiring new hardware can take longer than usual because of the shortages. Delays can be greater if you need a very specific item of hardware, and a similar product cannot be substituted for it. The way to deal with this is to plan ahead, so if you are carrying out a hardware refresh you can order new devices well in advance.
Maintenance of Existing Hardware is Crucial
There’s one way that you can mitigate the effects of the hardware shortage. Maintenance of the hardware you already have means that you won’t have to go through the process of sourcing replacements. Of course, there will always be equipment failures in any infrastructure, because hardware never lasts forever. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where a key element of your IT system fails and you can’t replace it quickly. Proper maintenance means you’ll get the maximum value from your existing IT equipment before it reaches the end of its life.
Our Recommendations
At Quikteks, we recommend that you partner with us, so you can be confident that you’ll be able to meet your hardware requirements in good time and without unnecessary extra expense. We have well-established relationships with vendors and are experienced in sourcing the technology your business needs to thrive. We’ll do the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to sweat about finding devices that seem to be unavailable when you need them.
To get started, give our IT professionals a call at (973) 882-4644.