Embracing the new normal: How to do more business with fewer resources
It’s hard to believe, but once upon a time, I didn’t have a smart phone. Now it's home to the hundreds of apps I’ve installed that integrate so many of my life activities that I wonder how I ever survived without it.
I feel the same way about my digital camera—with its built-in high definition video camera—that lets me capture high-quality still and video images of my extremely cute preschoolers.
When I made these purchases, both devices shared critical characteristics that met both my strict financial and technical criteria:
1. Easy to set up and use – I was able to set up both devices out of the box in a matter of minutes with minimal usage of the user manuals.
2. Great price – Just a couple of years ago I would have easily paid twice the price I paid for each device.
3. Based on proven, non-proprietary standards – One of biggest pet peeves are those special chargers and rechargeable batteries that are required by many electronic devices. My new digital/video camera runs on rechargeable AA batteries, which I already deployed throughout my home.
4. Provide flexibility through integration of related key functions – My smart phone is now my telephone,calendar, task list, GPS device, weather channel, address book and (in a pinch) also a quick, low-resolution digital/video camera.
5. Low-cost support options – Although both devices came with above normal standard warranties, the extended support options were quite compelling.
6. Investment protection – Through free firmware upgrades for devices based on the latest standards-based technologies, I am comfortable that I will own devices that will meet my needs for many years.
Now apply these same guidelines to your business
The important considerations that I used to purchase my latest technology gadgets can also be used by technical decision-makers of midsize companies to drive your networking purchasing decisions.
Even though it appears that we are (finally) emerging from the current recession, growing companies like yours are still facing an daunting challenge: to compete and grow with limited financial and staffing resources.
Having learned a valuable lesson from this painful experience, companies of all sizes are finely tuning their Capex and Opex spending practices. According to an IDC study commissioned by HP, companies like yours “are demanding more from their networks” in order to get the most value for their IT spend. In fact, customers survey cited return-on-investment drivers to address key market trends:
- Infrastructure cost reduction
- IT productivity
- User productivity
- Business benefits, including protection against downtime.
In addition, the companies surveyed believe that deploying standards-based HP Networking solutions with common “single-pane-of-glass” management allows them to satisfy both current and future functionality needs. The results of the study concluded that customers who deployed HP networking products were able to achieve a return on their investment of 466% and a payback period of only 8.4 months while also achieving a total cost savings of up to 66%..
Can you relate?
Also, to obtain a quick idea of the types of cost savings you can obtain from deploying HP networking solutions check out the HP ROI Calculator. However, please note that you should contact your nearest HP networking reseller or sales representative in order to obtain a complete ROI analysis.
Let us know how these tools work for you—and please share other ways you are doing more with less.
