Cutting corners on IT might seem a smart financial move at first, but hidden costs may start piling up in the background until one day they rudely appear taking you by surprise, and seriously hurting your business coffers! From downtime to security risks, “cheap” IT solutions could be doing your business more harm than good, and here’s why.
The false economy of cheap hardware
Frequent breakdowns
And that’s just the users! Joking aside, cheap systems often need constant fixes and patching which leads to much higher maintenance costs over time.
Inefficiency is expensive
Slow networks and outdated software running on old machines can seriously hamper productivity. If your systems are lagging, your staff wastes time waiting for things to load. Over time, that lost productivity costs you more than a proper IT setup ever would. Frustration from poor IT can also push employees to leave, adding recruitment and training costs to the mix.
Replacement costs add up
This might be unavoidable at the start of building a business if you’re bootstrapping it, but sticking to cheap means the need to replace hardware and systems more often, creating a neverending expense rather than buying well in the first place, and having something that lasts.
Hidden downtime costs
These are the kind-of things that won’t necessarily come to light if you were to conduct an audit of where money is being lost.
IT failures bring business to a halt. That can mean lost sales, missed deadlines, and unhappy customers. If your systems are slow or unreliable, your staff can’t work efficiently. Worse still, unexpected failures often need urgent fixes—emergency callouts aren’t cheap.
Hidden downtime isn’t always obvious. If employees are constantly dealing with crashes, slow connections, and system glitches, they’re not focusing on their actual job. Over time, these small disruptions can significantly impact overall efficiency and output.
Cheap infrastructure often leads to unexpected failures that require urgent and expensive fixes. These surprise costs can be higher than the upfront price of investing in reliable IT from the start.
Security Risks of Low IT Budgets
Vulnerabilities in cheap software
Budget software often lacks regular security updates, making it an easy target for hackers. Cybercriminals actively look for businesses using outdated systems because they’re easier to breach.
Data breaches are expensive
A single cyber attack can cost far more than what you saved on a budget IT solution. The ICO won’t accept “we couldn’t afford security” as an excuse if customer data is leaked. Fines can be severe, and reputational damage can be even worse.
Compliance risks
Poor IT security can put you in violation of data protection laws, leading to fines and legal trouble. This can be even more of a consideration for certain professions that have industry requirements to meet when it comes to IT security and data storage, too.
How to choose IT that saves you money in the long run
Invest in scalable solutions
What’s a scalable solution when it’s at home? Well, if you choose IT that can grow with your business from the outset, even if it is a little more expensive, it can grow with your business, preventing the need for costly overhauls, or Frankenstein-like patches to keep it working until you can get the whole thing changed.
Prioritise security and reliability
A well-secured and well-maintained system is more likely to avoid expensive breaches and breakdowns. It can also help you avoid fines if there’s ever a time when a hacker does gain access and leaks customer data.
Think of IT as an investment, not an expense
Spending wisely on IT now could save you thousands in lost revenue, downtime, and security risks later. That’s why it’s always a great idea to speak to an IT professional when you’re looking for IT solutions. Yes, they might not be the cheaper option right out of the gate, but it could be the difference between having a robust network and systems that just work for years to come, even when adding users, and between one bad day leading to a big find and lots of stress.
There will also potentially be IT solutions you haven’t even thought of, which is another good reason to speak to a professional, they can help save you money and time in the long run.
Get in touch with us, we want to watch your business succeed, and with decades of experience under our belts, we’d be over the moon to have a chat about the best ways we can help you achieve – and exceed – your goals.
Further reading: How much should IT support cost?
