With the economy perpetually in flux, businesses are struggling to find ways to keep afloat. When it comes to IT costs, businesses spend large sums on IT staffing, PC hardware and software, Internet service, and networking components. While many of these things are necessary, not all of them require the funds businesses think they need.
Every business's needs are different, so it's virtually impossible to quantify what expenses are appropriate for each company
hp dv2000. However, one cost that many serious-minded businesses think is necessary is a Microsoft Exchange license and server. At the Enterprise level, Microsoft prices these tools together around $4,000. Google, on the other hand, offers a mail service
targeted at businesses for $50 a person per year.
Here are 15 ways your business can use new technologies or think differently about IT and save some serious cash in the process.
1 Use Google Apps.
Why use Microsoft Outlook and Office products when the much-cheaper Google Apps are available for business users? Google's platform for businesses allows access to excellent e-mail, document editing, and calendar services for $50 per user, per year. Individuals get 25GB of space for Gmail and 1GB of storage for Google Docs, plus the ability to sync with BlackBerry Enterprise Server and 24/7 phone and e-mail support for critical problems
DV2000. Using Google Apps could also cut down on the level of IT support your business needs because it's so simple to administrate.
2 Get freeware that works.
Free solutions for word processing, photo editing, and more are available to anyone looking for them. Most notably, companies should take a look at the productivity suite from OpenOffice.org. The suite has a fully featured word processor, spreadsheet maker, and presentation creator, which are basically clones of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For basic photo editing needs, there's no need to pony up for Adobe Photoshop when there is GIMP or Paint.net, which let the user retouch, crop, or enhance photos. "Using
pavilion dv2000 free software is a good strategy as long as you apply caution," said Bob Hersch, global managing director of the workplace technology and collaboration at Accenture. "You have to balance the cost of the software with the cost if the software is no longer supported."
3 VoIP services can save cash.
If your company isn't a mega-behemoth that needs hundreds of lines and extensions, then it's time to trim calling costs. Google Voice allows individual users to sign up for their own phone numbers and get transcribed voicemail messages. Domestic calls are free and international calls cost just pennies per minute. Skype is also a great option for free person-to-person voice and video calls using a microphone or webcam attached to your computer. Skype can also be used on the iPhone and Android smart phone platforms. "It's not technology that limits companies from saving money--it's legacy commitments that hold them back," Hersch said. "As long as you have high-quality Internet, VoIP is a big opportunity to cut costs."
4 Consider a cheaper ISP.
Over the years, new Internet providers have popped up, and established players such as AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Time Warner have spread into more cities. When several companies compete for your business, you have the advantage. Call up your ISP and tell them you are thinking about switching to a competitor and ask if there is anything they can do to make their services cheaper. If your current ISP doesn't want
dv2000 battery to work with you, call a competitor and start comparing rates. "There is a lot of
opportunity in bundled services like getting Internet and voice calling from the same company," said Bradley Mitchell, an IT expert and contributor for About.com. "Companies might also overestimate how much bandwidth and how many phone lines they need
pavilion dv2000 battery."
5 Go with shared hosting or a virtual private server.
If your website isn't receiving more than 50,000 page views a month, it's time to get rid of that expensive dedicated server. Hundreds of sites offer consumer-grade shared web hosting, which is a great, less expensive alternative. If you have a site that you don't update frequently, look at www.1and1.com, www.bluehost.com, or www.polur.net, three companies that offer affordable business-targeted web hosting for less than $10 a month. If your site requires more attention, consider hosting on a virtual private server. Such a server can run around $100 a month, but it is still much less expensive than a physical dedicated server.
