Technology costs are likely one of the larger line items on your firm’s budget, and it’s one you need to spend wisely. No one has time or money to put towards frivolous upgrades. On the other hand, failing to upgrade when it’s well past time could end up costing you a lot more by way of lost productivity, struggling systems, and weakened security.
So how exactly do you know when it’s the right time for a tech upgrade at your law firm? Here are some clues.
When to Upgrade Your Technology
There’s no right time of year to upgrade your technology, so it’s less about looking at your calendar and more about considering your technology’s performance. Whether it’s been 12 months or 24 matters less than if your operations are performing as expected or are starting to lag.
Because technology is constantly evolving, end users must keep up if they want to retain optimal performance. This is why weighing the cost of inaction is an important factor to consider as you evaluate the importance of a tech upgrade. Here are a few areas to keep in mind when it comes to upgrades.
- Security – One of the reasons people choose Macs is because they are secure, but failing to upgrade systems will deny a core benefit of choosing a Mac in the first place.
- Speed – When Macs get old, we frequently hear people say their computer is running slow despite not doing anything new. That may very well be true, but a lot of what people do today is in a web browser, like Chrome. Chrome gets bigger (and slower) every day.
- Cost – System upgrades come at a cost, and they tend to have a bad rap because it’s a large, upfront outlay followed by recouping that investment over time. An alternative, shorter-term solution that’s easier on the budget is to stay on top of regular maintenance. This can reduce large one-time expenditures and invite small changes that can help you and your team identify whether upgrading a system really will result in a higher ROI. Perhaps a new feature brings about unexpected issues or rewards?
Even with the best maintenance, there will still come a time and place when you’ll need to upgrade. A general rule of thumb for knowing when to upgrade is when your critical operations are running on an OS that is two versions old. Work closely with your IT service provider to discuss your tech performance as you evaluate the right time to upgrade tech at your law firm. Catching problems early can reduce unnecessary downtime and lost productivity.
If you have any questions or concerns about your Apple technology, our team at Honeycrisp is just a phone call away.
