It’s been said before that variety is the spice of life. However, when it comes to IT hardware, this isn’t always the case. Using different hardware models and brands across your company can create several challenges and complexities. In this article, we’ll go over these challenges to make the case for why it’s a good idea to purchase the same hardware across your company.
The Benefits of Standardized IT Hardware
Standardizing hardware as much as possible comes with some key benefits, Here are the top reasons why it’s a good idea to purchase the same hardware across your company:
1. Simplified IT Management
Dealing with different hardware models can make IT management a logistical nightmare due to the fact that each device comes with its own set of drivers, software compatibility requirements, and troubleshooting processes.
It requires your IT team to be familiar with each piece of hardware, which can stretch them thin and drastically complicate their jobs. Standardizing your IT hardware reduces the number of variations your team has to support, making IT management a whole lot easier.
2. Lower IT Costs
One of the biggest benefits of using the same hardware across your company is that it will reduce your IT costs. Varied hardware means more time and money spent on training IT staff how to manage all the different devices. It also requires you to stock a wider variety of spare parts.
And since it complicates IT management, it may require your company to employ a larger IT team as well. Standardized hardware eliminates these expenses, and it can also reduce IT costs by allowing you to potentially secure better pricing by buying in bulk from a single vendor.
3. Enhanced Security and Compliance
Security is a top priority when it comes to IT hardware, but maintaining security becomes a lot more difficult when your company relies on a variety of hardware models. Even if all of your devices come equipped with strong security features, having varied hardware means that patching and updating schedules will vary as well. This can lead to inconsistencies that increase the potential for vulnerabilities.
By standardizing hardware, you ensure that updates and patches are deployed uniformly, which reduces the risk of security gaps. It also simplifies compliance with industry regulations since it’s easier to implement and monitor security protocols when all of your devices are on the same platform.
4. Improved Employee Productivity
Inconsistent hardware can often create a lot of frustration for a company’s employees. This is especially true for your IT team, but it can be true for anyone else who uses the devices as well. Things like different interfaces, keyboards, and performance levels lead to an inconsistent and frustrating work environment that can really drag down employee productivity.
Using the same hardware across your company eliminates these inconsistencies, and this comes with a number of benefits. It makes onboarding new employees easier since it allows for a standardized process, it allows for easier collaboration since all employees are using the same tools, and, on the whole, it helps day-to-day operations run more smoothly.
5. Scalability and Future-Proofing Your IT Infrastructure
As your company grows, you’ll need to scale your IT infrastructure as well. But scaling up can be a headache if your existing hardware is a mix of different models and brands. When you’re required to work with a range of different vendors to secure new devices, the procurement process is a lot more complicated. When it’s a single vendor, this aspect of scaling IT infrastructure is much easier. In cases where scaling means upgrading to newer or more capable devices, hardware standardization can still simplify the process by allowing IT staff and other employees to continue working with the same systems they’re already familiar with.
6. Better Asset Management and Tracking
Asset management and tracking is an essential part of IT management, helping you ensure that all patches and updates are applied promptly and all hardware is properly maintained. Hardware standardization drastically simplifies the processes involved with asset management and tracking. It allows IT teams to monitor inventory, track asset life cycles, and manage device retirement in a way that’s more streamlined and consistent. It also simplifies the process of decommissioning old hardware and ensuring that all sensitive data is erased beforehand, which is a big key to data security.
7. Strengthened Vendor Relationships and Support
It’s always good to have a strong relationship with your vendors, and when you only have to manage a relationship with a single hardware provider it makes it a lot easier to build a strong one. While there’s no guarantee, building a strong relationship with a single hardware provider may offer perks like the ability to negotiate discounts, extended warranties, or faster response times for repairs.
Many vendors offer dedicated support to clients who purchase in larger quantities, which can be a lifesaver during critical moments when devices fail or need urgent maintenance.
Standardizing IT hardware across your company is more than just a matter of convenience—it’s a strategic move that can save time, reduce costs, and improve security. And by sourcing all of your company’s hardware from a single vendor, you can build the kind of vendor relationship that could prove highly valuable in the long run.
Ready to take control of your IT environment? Contact Enlivened Tech today to explore hardware solutions that align with your company’s needs and start enjoying the benefits of standardized, high-quality hardware.
