Small Business Technology Recession Tips

Consider the minimum technology that is needed today to run any company. A Small company needs computers, applications (Word, Excel, QuickBooks) internet access, printers, phones, PDA’s and a website. If any one of theses technology items were not working correctly. Your business could come to a halt or be severely impacted. Repairing or replacing these items creates unexpected expenses such as loss of productivityConsider the small business technology budget. Replace only if broken is usually the motto. Consider Proactive Services.Are your computers still under warranty? If yes can we extend the warranty on them? If not can we get an extended warranty. I know HP and Dell allow you to extend the warranties on their hardware. It is cheaper to extend the warranty of an existing computer, server and printer then to buy a new one.Place your computers in energy savings mode to reduce electrical expenses. Check the Internet for tips on placing your monitors and computers in energy savings mode.Consider free software to manage your computers. AVG for antivirus and Spybot for spyware are a great start. Open Office is another.If you use a computer consultant ask if they have pre-purchased blocks of time available. These hourly blocks of time usually come with a discounted rate and no expiration date.Shop your around for the best Internet price.Don’t skimp when it comes to maintaining your business network. Consider an online backup or Managed Services for you computers and Servers. For a flat fee per month most computer consultants will maintain your entire network from top to bottom.