Maintaining a streamlined technology operation can be difficult without the right tools. Far too many companies scrimp on their IT costs without realizing what a detrimental effect it can have on their overall business. A used Kentrox or Mitel product, though not fresh out of the box, can make a world of difference, and always provide greater chain support than going without such necessities. Whether you are deploying software, hardware or networking solutions, you want to have faith in the components that compromise your operation. Nothing is worse than being on call for site monitoring and management when there are automated services and software to do it for you. If you work in technology support, the odds are you probably don’t get paid what you’re worth, and the money doesn’t warrant being a 24-hour one-man support line. Convincing your boss to make an investment in efficiency will not only make your life much easier, but it will improve the overall quality of your employer’s business operations.
The front-end of almost any 21st century business is its website. It will very likely be the first presentation of your brand and products to potential customers, so ensuring that the site is live and fully functional is crucial for making sales and signing clients. Company executives often have high-minded ideas about what the site should be and what it should be capable of doing, but they typically fail to have an understanding of the technical challenges and limitations presented by an efficient web presence. Aside from the obvious considerations like an intuitive shopping system or an aesthetically pleasing design, there are a myriad of other concerns from web security to backend integrity with your server base. This may be difficult to fully communicate to employers that are completely unversed in such matters, especially when you explain how the costs may seem high but will ultimately save the company money in the long run. You may even pitch the idea of using used Genband items instead of paying a premium for newer products. After all, a solid refurbishing can make anything old run great.
Keeping your servers running smoothly is essential for being taken seriously by your bosses and customers. There’s nothing more unprofessional than having a website that’s frequently offline or an email server that crashes more often than it works. Most people in the business world have a thinly veiled contempt for their tech support contemporaries, and with each explanation of why something failed, they became increasingly disillusioned with the problem all together. Explaining that a server issue was not addressed in a timely manner because you did not have the budget to employ a network monitoring strategy will not mean anything to the angry accounts executive that just wants to be able to have their Blackberry working again. Usually a problem is recognized only after it has become evident. This is a backwards and ultimately counterproductive way of running your tech services, and continued on a long enough timeline, will probably end up costing your job.
The best way to prevent that from happening is to be prepared. It’s surprisingly easily to cut a problem off at the pass if you have the proper counter-measure in place beforehand. While shopping for new server racks and channel service units online, you will quickly notice a disparity in pricing from one vendor to the next. The reasons for this are varied, and having a nuanced understanding of the industry will help you in choosing a dealer than you can trust. If your corporate budget doesn’t allow for a dedicated, 24/7 monitoring service that can also relay software and server changes through a large chain of users and machines, you can purchase the equipment yourself to have the same capabilities as high-level third party firms. And instead of paying the premium price for an all-inclusive service or new line of products, you can search for refurbished items like used Dantel products for connecting your T1 line to a secondary server room. When you get the prices down, your bosses will no longer balk at the budget and you won’t have to worry about disasters striking in the middle of the night without your knowledge.
Carefully compare your used vendor choices to ensure you will be working with a company that stands behind their products and offers a generous warranty. Buying refurbished items can be a gamble if you make your purchases through an unreliable provider that is more interested in your money than your satisfaction. Spending wisely now means you won’t have to worry about overspending later in the event of a crisis.