Posts Tagged ‘IT’
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
If you’re one of the many business owners who needs to tighten your belt to adjust to the downturn in the economy, purchasing refurbished equipment for your upgrade instead of buying new, or purchasing used hardware to accommodate a downsize may be the most cost-efficient option for you. Refurbished equipment is certainly less expensive for obvious reasons, but is it reliable? The fear of buying anything used is the question of reliability and ultimately, if a product doesn’t last or work the way it’s supposed to, the savings is quickly offset by lost time and additional hardware. So is it better to bite the bullet, pay significantly more, and buy new? Or is it safe to assume that refurbished hardware is reliable enough to deliver on its promise of savings?
The simple answer is… it depends. Like buying a ‘pre-owned’ car, some dealerships are much better than others. While most of us wouldn’t think twice about buying a year old BMW from a reputable BMW dealer, we might not purchase one from the independent car lot that just opened up down the street. The same logic applies to networking equipment and computer hardware for the same reasons. Finding a reputable company that not only does a high volume of business, but tests and warrants refurbished equipment will definitely dictate whether your experience is a pleasant one or not.
There are three things you should look for in the company you plan to buy refurbished equipment from:
First, find out how long they’ve been in business. Longevity usually means more experience and solid business practices.
Second, look for specifics on the number of times a product is tested, and how long the used products remain under warranty. Good companies will guarantee a used product for the same length of time that the manufacturer guarantees the same product new. Some even offer better warranties than the manufacturer.
Third, ask the company if they have the product in stock or not. If a company maintains a large inventory, and doesn’t have to hunt down, test, and refurbish a product after you’ve ordered it, that means faster lead times and you’ll end up with the product in your hand much more quickly.
If you follow those tips for finding the right company, you can feel much more comfortable in knowing that the hardware you’ve purchased will be delivered on time, in good condition, and will last at least as long as the manufacturer expected the same product would last if you purchased it new. These companies exist, but so do the less reliable, fly-by-night companies. Do your research. It’ll pay off in the long run.
Tags: bmw, business longevy, business owners, business practices, car lot, company, computer warranties, dealer, downturn, economy, equipment, goodness, guarantees, hardware, high volume, IT, length of time, logic, longevity, networkingindependent car, pre owned car, products, refurbished, reliability, reputable simple answer, specifics, stock, warrants, warranty
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Thursday, January 15th, 2009
Growth is good, but sometimes it happens more quickly than we expect causing all kinds of problems. If you suddenly have more orders than you’re equipped to handle, it’s likely you’ll encounter issues with lead times, personnel, and even your IT equipment. Because sudden growth is often a reaction to external circumstances going on in the market and outside of your control, it may catch you off guard. Upgrading could be the key to handling the additional orders quickly and efficiently.
The first thing you need to do in this situation is hire additional staff to manage the extra workload. Because you’re playing ‘catch up,’ we suggest hiring a temp that’s available for hire in case you decide that this growth spurt is a long term trend. Not all companies allow you to hire their temps. Others charge outrageous fees – and the employee you’re hiring doesn’t see a penny of that. Be sure to check into this first before finding the personnel company you want to work with.
Second, if you can’t produce your product more quickly, spring for quicker shipping. Don’t make your customers wait for you to produce the product they believe you have in stock, and then wait even longer for ground shipping. Pay the difference for overnight shipping yourself. The gain of a happy customer will far outweigh the nominal fee your shipping company will charge you to ship more quickly.
Third, upgrade your IT network. More online sales are lost because of poorly designed websites and slow load times than anything else. If they love your product, but hate dealing with your website, they’re gone. Even if it means upgrading to refurbished IT equipment from the current equipment you bought new, it’s worth it to have the right hardware to handle your infrastructure. Just be sure to find a reputable refurbished hardware company to work with. How do you know if it’s reputable? Easy. Find a company that offers at least a six month warranty on used equipment (a one year warranty is even better), maintains its own inventory, offers a trade-in credit on the routers and switches you no longer need, and encourages you to call and speak to a customer service rep (some companies hide their phone number or take it off their site altogether to discourage you from talking to them – stay away from those).
Tags: company, current term trend, equipment, external circumstances, goodness, ground shipping, growth spurt, happy customer, hardware, infrastructure, IT, lead times, marketing, pennies, personneloutrageous fees, phone, products, refurbished, router, routers, shipping company, slow load times, stock, switches, warranty, workload
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Monday, January 5th, 2009
When we first set up the company, we really didn’t know what our needs were going to be. Would we be wildly successful or would we fail in our first year? Not knowing makes it difficult to plan and we didn’t want to buy a bunch of computer hardware and telephone systems that were way beyond our reach. We didn’t have the money. Luckily, we went with the Cisco Unified IP Phones 797XG/GE. We thought it would be best to start small and then expand if the time ever came to do so. Thank goodness it did.
Last week, we purchased the Cisco Unified IP Phone Expansion Module 7914 which extends the capabilities of the phone system we already had (apparently it also works with the Cisco Unified IP Phones 79GXG/G-GE) by adding fourteen buttons and an LCD display. The best thing about adding the expansion module is that we could choose which phones actually needed it (our part-time bookkeeper didn’t need it at all), so we again, we had control over how much we spent and weren’t put in a position to buy a bunch of fancy stuff we didn’t need.
Long story short, my advice to new business owners is to look at IT hardware purchases realistically. While it’s always nice to dream about where you want to be once you’ve increased sales and started to grow, the reality of now is more important. And mistakes you make now (like wasting money on an architecture that handles way more than your current needs entail) can make or break you in your first year. Be smart. Upgrading later on isn’t as difficult as you’d imagine it is and some companies even offer refurbished equipment at huge discounts making the upgrade down the road easy and affordable—should you get there. And I hope you do.
Tags: archecture, architecture, bookkeeper, business owners, capabilities, cisco, computer hardware, expansion module, goodness, hardware, hardware purchases, ip phone, ip phones, IT, lcd display, mistake, money, new business, part time, phone, refurbished, s, telephone systems, wasting money, weren
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
Picture this. Your company is growing… finally. You’ve just experienced the best three consecutive months for online sales you’ve ever had. For the first time in a long time, you’re having no problems with cash flow and not only are your customers paying you, they’re paying on time. Sound like a dream come true? Well in the blink of an eye, you could find yourself in the middle of a nightmare.
Your system crashes. You lose data. Your customer’s confidential credit card information is compromised. Your records are lost. There’s no way to know how many people are trying to make a purchase online and can’t complete the transaction. Your phone is ringing off the hook.
If you think this will never happen, you’re wrong. It does. But it can be prevented.
Purchasing the right hardware for your network can make all the difference. The proper routers, switches, cooling fan trays all play a part in how safe and secure your network is. And building the right network isn’t difficult. But it is expensive… if you’re determined to purchase the necessary equipment new. But you don’t have to do that either. Safeguarding your data can be done effectively and cost-efficiently by purchasing IT hardware from a reliable, trustworthy retailer of refurbished equipment.
While that all sounds good, how do you know which companies will give you the best deals and which ones will be there to support you if something goes wrong. Beware. They’re not always one and the same. Some companies offer incredible discounts and faulty, substandard equipment. Ultimately, it’s no deal at all and will end up costing you more than if you’d chosen a more reliable company to begin with. So the important thing is to first find a reseller you can trust like MULTI-LINK Communications Products (MLCP). With over 13 years in the business, MLCP tests each piece of equipment it sells twice, making sure it meets factory standards. On top of that, every refurbished product is covered under MLCP’s one year warranty. If they weren’t able to ensure their used hardware would last at least that long, they would’ve been out of business years ago—or at least would have scaled back that generous warranty.
Safeguarding your data is imperative. But so is saving money. You can do both by buying refurbished IT hardware from a reputable company that guarantees the products they sell.
Tags: 13 years, best deals, blink of an eye, cash flow, communications products, confidential credit, cooling fan, credit card information, fan trays, hardware, hook, ished, IT, link communications, Multi-link, necessary equipment, nightmare, paying on time, phone, refurb, reliable company, router, routers, substandard equipment, switches, system crashes, time sound, trustworthy retailer, warranty
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Saturday, November 15th, 2008
Let’s face it — upgrading hardware to accommodate a now under-performing IT system can be a real hassle. First, brand new hardware is expensive. And with the way technology now advances so quickly, you may need to replace it again in only a few years – even shorter if your business grows even more quickly than you predicted and you outgrow the new hardware system. So what should you do?
Unfortunately, because of those issues, many business owners decide not to upgrade. They stick with the old – the hardware that they know is not conducive to their needs – simply because they don’t want to risk losing money on investing in new. Bad idea. That’s like betting on a horse you know will lose simply because you aren’t sure which of the others will win.
Upgrading hardware systems is necessary, but there are ways to do it without incurring exorbitant expenses. Buying refurbished hardware is a cost-effective way to upgrade your systems, and it’s not as risky as you might think.
With the current economic downturns, some businesses need to downsize. Others need to upgrade but don’t have the cashflow they did only six months ago. Many of these companies are turning to alternate hardware providers for their IT system needs, companies like MULTI-LINK Communications Products.
MLCP is the leading provider of refurbished Cisco equipment. Not only will MLCP locate the refurbished components you need, they’ll help you discover exactly what those components are since most of us are far from hardware experts. In addition, MLCP offers generous trade-in credit on the hardware you’re currently using, which saves you money on both ends – by purchasing refurbished pieces at discounted rates and selling what you don’t need at the same time.
The initial cost savings is obvious, but what about long term? How do you know that refurbished equipment will last? If images of driving a used, barely running old sedan off a used car lot are rolling through your mind right now, push them aside. Refurbished hardware is nothing like a used car. MULTI-LINK uses a thorough, dual-testing method to ensure that all the equipment is sells is up to factory specifications. Products are tested once upon receipt at their factory, and then again after being refurbished, before they’re shipped. To alleviate their customers’ concerns, MLCP offers a standard one-year warranty on all of their new and refurbished products. For some products, this is four times longer than the warranty Cisco provides on the same products new!
The point? Don’t force your company to suffer along until you can afford an upgrade of all new equipment. Buying refurbished, especially from a reliable, long-standing company like MLCP, can give you what you need now, without the risk and without putting you in the red.
Tags: cisco, hardware, IT, Multi-link, refurbished
Posted in Cost Saving | No Comments »
Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Technology costs can often be the one expense that sends your entire budget spinning out of control. But how can you avoid it? You need desktop computers, phones, a network. And not only are these items expensive, technology often evolves more quickly than your depreciation on hardware, so what are you going to do to keep technology costs from eating into your hard-earned revenue stream?
While ripping open a box containing a shiny new computer is thrilling for most, saving your business a bundle comes in at a close second. And there’s a way to do that without having to go without the computers and hardware your business needs: buy nearly new, refurbished hardware.
Wait! Before you stop reading, hear us out. We know, we know… that old adage that when you buy ‘used,’ you’re inheriting someone else’s problem is probably running through your head. But refurbished hardware is different. You’re not inheriting a problem, your benefiting from someone else’s success (or unfortunately perhaps their failure). You can find nearly new – and we stress ‘nearly new’—computer equipment through companies like MULTI-LINK Communications Products—a company that specializes in selling refurbished Cisco hardware.
Check out how this works: MLCP is the leading alternate provider (and buyer) of new and refurbished Cisco equipment. When it comes to refurbished hardware, they purchase nearly new equipment, like routers, switches, computers, from two kinds of companies: those who need to upgrade because they’re expanding, and those who need to downsize because their businesses have hit tough times. Either way, when MLCP purchases hardware, they test it not once, but twice. First when it arrives at MULTI-LINK and then again before it’s shipped.
But even the folks at MLCP wouldn’t expect you to accept their thorough, dual testing methods as enough to gain their confidence as a retailer of pre-owned equipment. MULTI-LINK offers a one year standard warranty on every product they sell. On some pieces of equipment, this guarantee is four times longer than the original warranty Cisco offers on their own brand new products!
In short, buying nearly new hardware isn’t the risk that deters some people from trying it and saving money. Be smart about hardware expenses and research your options. An alternate provider like MLCP might just be the start of a lucrative business relationship.
Tags: cisco, cost savings, hardware, IT, Multi-link, refurbished, refurbished hardware
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Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
As most of us have watched in horror as the American economy plummets around us, small business owners are at the most risk of losing long-time customers as overall spending is reduced and budgets are cut. The decisions a business makes during a difficult time like this can either be the key to its longevity or the first nail in its coffin. So what are some ways to maximize efficiency and stay afloat until the rest of the U.S. economy gets back on its feet?
One way is to take a good, hard look at your network hardware which can be unnecessarily costly in two ways. First, if you’re using a network that cannot properly handle the amount of traffic to your site and you’re subjecting your potential customers to long wait times or unsecured systems, you’re losing customers and therefore revenue. Second, if your network traffic has recently diminished, and you’re still paying for a network that’s now beyond your needs, you’re wasting cash. Either way, a thorough assessment of your IT hardware can help you decide whether or not you’re getting the right ROI.
Refurbished IT hardware may be what you need. If you decide it’s time to upgrade, consider purchasing revamped network hardware instead of buying it new. Several retailers offer refurbished hardware from industry-leaders like Cisco, but be careful. Whenever you buy something used, it’s, well, used. Be sure to purchase refurbished IT hardware from a company that does thorough testing to make sure the equipment is in better than just average condition. One company that made it to the top of our list in this arena is MULTI-LINK Communications Products. MLCP guarantees that all refurbished equipment they sell is tested not just once, but twice. First when it arrives and then again before it is shipped to a customer. MLCP is so confident with their testing methods, the company actually covers every product they sell with a one-year warranty—four times longer than Cisco offers on many of their brand new products!
If it’s downgrading rather than upgrading you need to fit your networking needs, selling IT hardware can actually save you significant money. Many companies, MULTI-LINK included, offer generous trade-in credits for networking equipment you no longer need. Unfortunately, many business owners avoid trading in equipment for two reasons: they don’t understand how high the value of used networking equipment can be, and they honestly believe they’ll grow back into needing the higher performing network. Sadly enough, there are lots of companies that never make it back to that level because they’re unwilling to take a few steps backward to stay afloat.
Now is the time to make sure you’re not wasting money in areas you shouldn’t. IT networking is, let’s face it, expensive. Buying refurbished instead of new, and trading in equipment so you can downsize, may put money in your pocket. And in times like these, that’s something we could all use.
Tags: cisco, hardware, IT, Multi-link
Posted in MLCP News | No Comments »
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