Cost Concerns Trump Need When It Comes to IT Solutions
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CREDIT: DREAMSTIME.COM
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Nearly all small businesses have put cost concerns ahead of optimal IT solutions, according to a recent Hewlett-Packard survey of IT managers at small businesses.
Ninety-three percent of companies have prioritized financial constraints over IT needs, the study found, and 89 percent of those companies experienced IT problems. The top three IT problems reported by cost-conscious companies are low-performing hardware, out-of-date hardware and unreliable hardware, the survey found.
Additionally, 58 percent of IT managers reported they have not invested in network security this year. Because the poll found that 54 percent of small businesses cite summer as the peak season for working remotely, companies may be putting themselves at a greater security risk this season.
“The survey findings confirm that budget-constrained small businesses are playing tug of war when it comes to balancing smart IT purchasing decisions and their budgets,” Stephen DiFranco, a senior vice president and general manager for HP, said in a press release.
IT managers recommend upgrading to newer and better quality components, investing more money in IT systems and spending more time planning and researching the best solutions for their company’s needs when they have the opportunity to tell their chief executive officers how to solve common IT problems, according to the survey.
The survey also found that IT managers think the most needed computer improvements are computer processing speed and reliability, 41 percent of IT managers think that planning their company’s IT strategy is the best use of their time (as opposed to the 11 percent who think the best use of their time is on hardware support) and 20 percent of IT managers find their biggest computer problem to be a lack of vendor assistance when problems occur.
The poll, conducted by Wakefield Research, surveyed more than 500 IT managers at small businesses across the United States.
This story was provided by BusinessNewsDaily, sister site to IT TechNewsDaily.
