Here’s Why Businesses Need an IT System Upgrade

A company’s IT infrastructure is one of its most valuable assets, and it requires constant upkeep. Outdated computer systems can cause a lot of problems for organisations through things such as obsolescence and reaching data storage limits.

As IT systems age and their capabilities become outdated, organisations are regularly faced with the proposition of undertaking an IT system upgrade. 

However, though upgrades are what companies should consider, many companies know that major upgrades can require changes to staff member’s responsibilities as well as a restructuring of how day-to-day business is undertaken. Because this can lead to disruption, sometimes companies put upgrades off and harm the growth, efficiency and profitability of their business in the long run.

If that’s your business – don’t! Instead read these top 8 (expert recommended) reasons why you should consider upgrading your IT system.

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1. Boosted productivity 

Slow systems mean slow processes, which means slow staff and even slower outputs. But with new developments in processing power, completing the workload has never been quicker!

Thanks to speedy CPUs that can process at speeds exceeding 3GHz per second, and solid-state drives which are able to store data quickly and safely, today’s developments in technology mean that workloads can be completed faster and more efficiently. No more waiting five minutes for things to copy: Now it’s there instantly, meaning little to no disruption to the productivity of staff. 

2. Tightened security

Older systems mean vulnerable systems unfortunately, often because their security certificates or inbuilt technologies are weaker and therefore more vulnerable to exploitation. 

Upgrading applications, servers and other IT resources is highly advised to keep everything up to date with the latest encryption security features which helps to keep invaluable data away from social engineering, phishing or ransomware attacks or other types of cybercrime. 

3. Ease of accessibility

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way we work. It’s the reason why so many businesses have been able to embrace remote working, because their staff can access the files they need to at whatever time, from whatever machine, no matter where they are.

Cloud computing ensures that anybody can work from anywhere, and it keeps things like system backups and important data safe. That means even if an incident should occur at a physical location, staff can continue their work from home seamlessly without any disruption. 

Upgrading to the cloud may sound like a scary process, but it needn’t be! Read our blog on how to migrate quickly and easily to the cloud here.

4. Competitive advantage

Businesses may not think that the line between themselves and their competitors hinges on the technology they’re using, but it just might! 

Businesses using less efficient technology or legacy systems are likely to not have the tools at their disposal of their competitors. For example a process that takes the business 3 days may only take the competitor 1 if they’ve upgraded to the latest advancements in technology, and are accessing new, efficient features. 

5. Reduced business costs

Upgrading can sound costly, but ultimately the longer an IT system is left, the more issues it will develop as it ages and applications and other software updates around it. Eventually these systems will begin to cost businesses in both repair and IT support provider costs.

What’s more, when legacy systems do develop problems they can cause significant disruptions in productivity which costs firms further time and resources to fix them. The disruption costs are often greater than upgrading an old system which would provide higher stability for less payback over time.

6. Compatibility and integration with other systems & applications

When new things come on the market, older systems may not be compatible with it. For example, when Windows 10 updated to their newest version they removed some features which meant that Windows servers – like those from 2003 – will no longer function correctly alongside the new software. 

This is a particularly important issue for businesses who run a wide array of different softwares or applications. Software integration can be vital depending on the business functions, and failure to be compatible or integrate with newer releases could cause significant disruption and loss of productivity.

7. Better customer support

If your business is customer facing, customers may start to get frustrated with things like slow service times, or slow or fragmented solutions to their problems – exactly like one of our clients experienced. 

Poor customer service will eventually result in customers leaving for competitors, which is exactly what businesses want to avoid. With technology upgrades, businesses can ensure they’re positioning themselves correctly to meet their customers’ needs in the correct amount of time, and to the best of their ability. 

8. Stable business growth

If one of the businesses strategies is to grow, it needs to ensure it can do that and support its staff. If a system was designed to support five people but grows into something much bigger, increased demands will end up harming the business as technological systems sweat under the pressure.

Read more about how the right IT system can support your business strategy here.

Instead, performing an IT system upgrade can stabilise the growth of a business by allowing new members of staff to onboard quickly and efficiently and allowing new business processes to execute effectively without draining additional resources or causing disruption to others.

Do you need to upgrade your technology?

At Binary Blue we have over 42 years of professional experience upgrading and updating IT systems. We know that they can be disruptive and expensive, which is why we ensure that when we perform your migration it’s cost efficient to your business, suits your needs, and causes minimal downtime. Speak to one of our friendly team for your bespoke quote today.