Why Nashville Companies Should Look to Concept Technology for Hardware Procurement

So, you’ve hired our talented team of engineers to help keep a watchful eye over your tech system. A smart move, and one that will help ensure things don’t go wrong. But what happens when it’s time to upgrade or buy hardware?

We realize that many of Nashville’s small and mid-sized companies are accustomed to purchasing their own hardware. But it’s important to consider that, while you may be extremely well versed in your system, having a team of experts assist with hardware procurement often provides a smarter solution that leads to better purchases.

At Concept Technology, we offer hardware procurement services in addition to IT maintenance and support. In fact, we have a department dedicated to securing the right tech for your needs. Here are three key reasons why you should consider our team for hardware procurement:

1. Communication Is the Top Priority

For a company to run smoothly, it’s no secret that communication should be a top priority, and that encompasses every department – including IT. When all parties are consistently talking to each other, there won’t be a crisis of short timing and tight budgets, which can negatively affect a company’s technology.

If your company or IT department finds out about a tech need on short notice – such as a new workstation for a new hire – it may seem that the easiest solution is for your in-house IT personnel or a department head to jump in the car and go to a store to manually pick-and-grab some equipment fast. Best case scenario here is that the equipment works perfectly at the preferred life expectancy within the system. But there are factors that make this approach troublesome in the scheme of things.

It could be that the equipment you get off the shelf looks exactly like what your IT provider would recommend on the outside, but not have the internal pieces that were specified, so it won’t perform as well. Or, it may last for 3-4 years, as opposed to our team recommending equipment that will last 5-7 years or more. Or it may turn out to not be compatible with your other equipment, which could lead to larger problems such as hard drive failures, power malfunctions or system shut-downs.

With increased communication, both across departments and with your IT provider, there is more knowledge about what will work and when something is needed – so your company is not paying too much for items and getting less productivity than you should.

At Concept Technology, we maintain ongoing communication through quarterly, annually or as-needed technology discussions where we proactively plan for the future. We discuss how the company is growing, what’s coming in the next few months or years and what equipment may need to be added or replaced. We also visit our clients regularly onsite to collect up-to-date info on their networks and take care of any potential issues. This, of course, is on top of our remote monitoring, which keeps us aware of our clients’ systems 24/7.

All that knowledge of our clients’ networks allows us to make qualified, strategic recommendations about what hardware and software will best meet their needs. And we can also purchase that new technology on our clients’ behalf.

That doesn’t mean that we don’t expect our clients to comparison shop. We want them to get the best deal possible; we just also want it to be the best fit. So, even if our client doesn’t purchase through us, we like to review the alternate bid to make sure it meets the specs, requirements and our recommendations for their system.

2. Full-Scale Solution

Many clients don’t realize that when they buy from a big-box store, they’re not buying exactly what they need or, more importantly, the quality of item that they need for their system.

If an IT provider offering hardware procurement service makes a recommendation, it’s based on more than cost and specific network requirements. For example, at Concept Technology, our recommendations take into consideration security, recovery time, if the hardware/software can be controlled centrally, longevity, time and labor to manage, growth plans and other factors. Plus, because we work with 300+ businesses in Middle Tennessee, we are aware of what actually works well and what doesn’t – beyond any marketing hype.

We understand that it can seem quicker or easier to buy directly from a store or hardware manufacturer. The salesperson may have a high level of expertise with each component or part being sold, but any advice would still be given without knowledge of your specific needs or the current status of your setup – both crucial aspects to accurately recommending new hardware. Without expert recommendations from someone who understands your tech, getting the best equipment for your needs from a manufacturer or store directly can prove difficult.

Unlike less familiar sources, your IT service provider should know your technology setup upside down and backward and forward – especially if your company takes advantage of an MSP that provides onsite service, like we do. That means you have a dedicated technician who regularly spends time with the finer details of the system and understands how each part interacts within your network.

Oftentimes, the argument for going straight to a retailer or manufacturer is cost savings, because of the perception that buying from MSPs offering hardware procurement services will only recommend the most expensive equipment.

Not so. As a sound managed IT provider we can actually work directly with vendors on cost-effective and competitive solutions, ensuring our clients get the best value for their investment. For instance, we partner with Sonicwall, Ubiquity and Dell, among others, to create customized, price-conscious solutions. These partnerships ensure we provide the right technology for our clients’ needs and effectively combine cost savings and expert advice. It’s a win-win.

We also offer a wide range of components across a variety of specifications – something a singular retailer can’t often match. That sort of flexibility will better meet your requirements, whether you’re looking for a standard workstation or a specialty build-out with multiple monitors, enhanced graphics card, specific software and more.

Rounding out the full-scale solution is answering the question of, “When you’re done with old equipment, what happens to it?” This varies, but most MSPs with hardware procurement services can help dispose of or recycle the dated equipment. At Concept Technology, we recommend an outside vendor who will make sure the disposal process is handled efficiently and securely.

3. One-Stop Shop for Technology

The overarching benefit to using an IT provider like Concept Technology for hardware and software is that you get what is essentially a smart bundling service.

As the client, you’re already trusting us to maintain your system and proactively recommend when parts need to be changed or upgraded. Parlaying that trust to hardware not only avoids confusion, but adds a bit of a personal touch, which underscores one of the most important parts of a client and MSP partnership – the relationship.

Taking advantage of our hardware procurement services and allowing us to vet and make specific hardware purchases on your behalf will mean getting the most carefully planned out components for the biggest impact on your network and company. We’re not going to recommend something we don’t believe in.

We can be your full-scale support partner and go-to tech expert for every need, which will provide a sense of relief as we handle the finer details of hardware procurement and installment.

Ready to receive expert-level recommendations on new hardware – and peace of mind? Contact us.

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