PC upgrades pay off

Many companies stuck with their aging PCs to reduce IT spending in a tough economy. However, ROI consultancy Alinean advocates replacing those computers as one of the best purchases IT leaders can make.

Alinean’s research shows that buying new PCs and upgrading to the latest version of Windows can save a typical company about $300,000 a year in support calls, extended warranties and downtime. What’s more, giving employees a notebook with wireless connectivity can reap up to $350,000 per year in productivity gains for your organization because staff will be able to work on the road, in meetings and at home.

“Companies think they’re saving money by extending their PCs’ lifecycles – and it’s actually costing a fortune both in higher cost of ownership and competitive disadvantage,” Alinean CEO Tom Pisello says. “As IT spending picks up, one of the best and easiest investments companies can make is to replace outdated PC systems, particularly empowering knowledge workers with mobile and wireless technology.”

The firm recommends upgrading PCs every three years and notebooks every two years. Older PCs are slower, have more security loopholes, experience more downtime and generally require more support. In fact, these aging boxes generate an average of 25% more support calls in the fourth year, and 30% more support calls in the fifth year, making maintenance of aging PCs a costly endeavor.

For more information about Alinean, go to www.alinean.com