Computers, laptops, servers, and other high-end technology have been caught behind an ominous bottleneck for almost a year now (and longer in some cases). Experts agree that it is going to get much worse before it gets better. It’s raising prices and causing long wait times for businesses to get the hardware that they need. Fortunately, we can help you navigate this situation.

Is Older Technology Holding Your Business Back?

As a small to medium-sized business, you often have to balance your need for new technology and the benefits it brings with the reality of your budget. Ironically, investing in new technology can save you money over the long term, but always equipping your staff with the best laptops or cutting-edge equipment isn’t always going to be within the budget. 

That said, it’s a good idea to have a budget in place to replace and upgrade workstations every few years. For a lot of businesses, the general idea is to replace a desktop or laptop every 3-5 years depending on how it is holding up (laptops have typically been on the lower end, but higher-end laptops tend to perform longer), and servers should have an upgrade path planned around the same timeline. Of course, results and mileage will vary, but generally, it’s a good idea to have this fleshed out in your yearly IT budget.

Unfortunately, the supply chain problem complicates this. Hardware is a little more expensive, and a little harder to get. Holding off until an emergency happens means you might be forced to limp along without a critical system. 

Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t go out and order a computer or buy a laptop off the shelf at the store, but options are limited and you might not be able to get the type of device you really need.

What’s Going on With the Supply Chain?

There are several reasons why businesses and individuals alike are having difficulty acquiring the technology they’re looking for. For example, a good portion of supply is locked in shipping containers in the nation’s various ports of entry. Additionally, many chip manufacturers reduced their output in the belief that the pandemic would reduce the demand; they were mistaken. Other manufacturers had to limit their workforce or stagger production, for one reason or another, in response to the pandemic.

Millions of workers took to their homes, and many of them bought new computers and laptops, far outstripping supply. Kids needed their own devices for school. All of this snowballed and it has been a challenge for manufacturers to catch up.

On top of all of this, the advance of cryptocurrency caused investors and crypto-miners to purchase GPUs (video cards) in bulk. While not all PCs require high-end video cards, it has caused further disruption across the board.

We’ve also seen extreme price fluctuations. Hard drives and SSDs have historically gone down in price over time, but we’ve seen them creep upwards. Early on in the pandemic, it was nearly impossible to buy a webcam without being price gouged. The technology market has definitely been in flux and this makes budgeting your IT and depending on the ease of replacing or fixing hardware a little less stable than it’s been for the last decade.

Let Dresner Group Help You Acquire the Tech Your Business Needs

Due to supply chain issues, businesses now have to re-evaluate the cost/benefit of purchasing new technology. 

In today’s competitive market, it’s possible that many smaller businesses could find themselves priced out of the market. Unfortunately, their larger competitors have the resources to acquire equipment, which allows them to expand their growth while smaller businesses face contraction. It isn’t all doom and gloom, though—it’s all about planning and being proactive. The hardware is there, there are just more consumers fighting over it.

There are a lot of ways to streamline your existing technology without purchasing new, and there are small upgrades that could be made to extend the life of a device. We can also help you navigate through the complexities of purchasing new PCs and laptops for your staff, and helping you prioritize.

We work with a wide variety of vendors in the industry, and we have more options than your typical retailer, but more than that, we’re not in the business of selling hardware, we’re in the business of making technology work for your organization. That doesn’t mean spending your budget on premium hardware, it means implementing technology wisely and maintaining it so it lasts as long as possible.

Call (410) 531-6727 today to learn how to break through the current supply bottleneck and keep your business competitive. With Dresner Group at your side, you won’t have to go it alone.