There is no shortage of business technology out there to choose from. The sheer volume of options is overwhelming, and it can be challenging to identify the right solution for your business. This article provides ideas to help you make smart IT purchases.

You want to get the most out of your IT budget in 2023, but these common factors can derail smart IT purchases:

• Many small and medium-sized business owners don’t have a lot of technical expertise.
• Making buying decisions based only on a budget can lead to getting tech that won't suit your needs.
• People get drawn in by marketing appeals or salesperson charisma.
• Buyers want to simplify their lives, so it seems to make sense to go with the same supplier or brand. But that’s not always the best answer.

All this means that even the best-intentioned buyers can choose the wrong technology. Maybe that new system isn’t compatible with existing software and hardware. You make things more difficult for your employees instead of improving productivity. Or you can end up wasting money on something you don’t need, or getting the perfect product but at an exorbitant price.

Strategies to Support Better Tech Purchases

When it's time to buy technology, several strategies can improve your results.

Establish your requirements

This is more than thinking, “I want X to do this and that.” Map out your current technology to see what might already meet those requirements. Plus, learn what compatibilities will be essential to effectively use the new tech.

Talk to your employees

Ask about what they would change and what they like best about the tech you’re replacing. They’re the ones who are going to be using your tech purchases on a daily basis. Buying decisions made in isolation could saddle staff with IT that frustrates them.

Think long term

This can prevent you from getting caught up in glitzy marketing or salesperson enthusiasm. Yes, it’s human to want that cool, shiny gadget with all the bells and whistles, but it may not be what your business needs, either today or down the road.

In fact, if you’re oversold technology, you could face IT budget woes in the future. On the other hand, you don’t want to buy something that you’re going to have to replace soon. That’s setting yourself up to do this all over again. You want to make a choice that is the right fit for your current requirements but that can also scale with you.

The Solution to Tech Purchase Miscues

Of course, all this takes time – a long time if you lack IT expertise. That’s time away from running your business and revenue-generating activity. Partner with a managed service provider (MSP) to simplify the process. We can look at your existing setup and learn what you need. Then, we’ll use our experience and vendor connections to get you the best deals on smart tech purchases. Contact our IT experts today at:

• For businesses: Visit SD Solutions
• For individual IT Support needs: Visit ITx

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