According to a recent HP survey of more than 500 IT managers at small businesses across the United States, 93 percent of companies have placed cost concerns over the best IT solutions, leading 89 percent of those companies to experience IT-related problems.
The study, conducted by Wakefield Research,(1) uncovered that the top three IT problems reported by cost-conscious companies are low-performing hardware (46 percent), out-of-date hardware (37 percent) and unreliable hardware (23 percent), leading to suboptimal computing efficiency and an overall loss of productivity.
The survey also revealed that 54 percent of small businesses cite summer as the peak season for working remotely. With 58 percent of IT managers stating that they have not invested in network security this year, companies will find they are adding pressure and potentially greater security risks to their already stressed IT networks.
Other key survey findings include:
Computer processing speed (35 percent) and reliability (19 percent) top IT managers’ lists for most needed computer improvements. These practical considerations weigh more heavily on managers’ minds than energy efficiency (9 percent).
When given the chance to tell their chief executive officers how to solve common concerns, IT managers recommend upgrading to newer and better quality components (29 percent), investing more money into IT systems (21 percent), and spending more time planning and researching the best solutions for their company’s needs (13 percent).
Forty-one percent of IT managers think that planning their company’s IT strategy is the best use of their time, compared to 11 percent of managers who believe their time is best spent on hardware support.
One-fifth of IT managers complained that their biggest computer problem is a lack of vendor assistance when problems occur.
“The survey findings confirm that budget-constrained small businesses are playing tug of war when it comes to balancing smart IT purchasing decisions and their budgets,” says Stephen DiFranco, senior vice president and general manager, Personal Systems Group – Americas, HP. “HP has a portfolio of reliable, high-performing and secure Elite Series PCs that are business tough and tested to the extremes to ensure small businesses get a great return on investment and thrive in the market.”
To help small businesses overcome these IT and productivity challenges, HP offers the HP Elite Series PCs, which offer high-speed performance from Intel® Core™ processors, long battery life, optimized security through HP ProtectTools and 24/7 dedicated customer support. HP Elite PCs also undergo the HP Total Test Process to guarantee the highest levels of reliability and durability. As part of the process, they endure more than100,000 hours of testing, including rigorous military standards testing(2) in temperatures ranging from negative 20 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as drops, shocks, pounds and shakes.
Small businesses can rely on products such as the HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite and HP Compaq 8200 Elite desktop PCs and HP EliteBook p- and w-series notebook PCs to overcome everyday business computing challenges.
HP is dedicated to providing small businesses the highest level of support through its channels partners. The company recently launched the HP Elite Smart Buys Program to ensure its small and medium-sized business customers receive premium technology and customer support at an everyday HP Smart Buy price. HP also is offering an Elite Service promotion with its Value Added Resellers to allow for better pricing on deployment, management and other key services to provide customers with the best return on their investment and keep their employees productive and efficient.
“With HP’s Elite program, we can provide the customer the best product in the industry with our services at a lower total cost to the customer,” says Shaun Steel, general manager at Valcom, an HP Elite partner based in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Valcom has seen great response from SMB customers.”
