Prices are increasing wholesale – whether it’s your shopping, petrol, or rent. For example, my wife and I recently replaced her ten-year-old car. And the cost of IT is no different.
I have to say that when I first saw the retail price of the vehicle, I baulked a little – it struck me that it was a great deal more expensive than when we originally bought the car it was replacing.
The salesman sat down with us and patiently explained how what we bought ten years ago compared to what we were buying today. The car had more ‘extras’ – it included a good quality sound system, it had iPhone and Android phone integration. Sat-Nav was standard, and the overall quality was improved – it was far better made.
Importantly, the safety features on the car were in a different league – and now industry standard. Airbags everywhere, ESP – electronic stability control, auto dipping headlights, auto wipers, and braking assist were amongst the new features. Plus, a car alarm and remote security monitoring.
It is, simply put, a better car to drive – and of course, being a new car, it comes with a 3-year warranty and inclusive service for 3 years too!
So, having reflected on this I can see that I am getting a good deal.
Martin Roberts, Managing Director, Neuways
But where am I going with this? Well, we often have similar discussions with our customers when they are replacing their IT infrastructure. Much of the same applies – the equipment is now much faster and roomier (you get much more for your money) – but you are also getting a great deal more safety and security.
It’s also worth recognising that a lot more is being done with IT these days – longer and more complex journeys, to complete the analogy. It’s likely that your business relies on its IT far more than you realise. Today’s IT has the means to take your business growth to the next level, and keep your data safe, so it is natural that there is a cost associated with it.
So, in conclusion, is IT more expensive than a few years ago? Probably, ‘Yes’ – but you are getting a far superior return on investment and demanding a lot more of your IT than you were when you last made the investment.
