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| The nitty-gritty that can make - or break - a business |
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IT for startups. Few businesses in today’s world can get by without a computer to perform vital functions in sales and marketing, finance, and customer service. Depending on the type of business, a start-up company could be spending a sizeable chunk of its investment capital in its computer set up.
The decisions on purchase of appropriate hardware and software are not easy if you are not clear on your specific needs and are not familiar with the mind-boggling options in technology available today. Choice of brands, speed, memory and financing raise question marks and confusion in the minds of business owners.
“My first question to clients is: what do you need the computer for?” says IT consultant Ovidiu Balanescu. “Their answer will determine what they should buy in terms of hardware and software.”
Several points will decide their choice of computer. In deciding between a desktop or a laptop, Balanescu says, “If you have to be mobile and visit your customers, a laptop should be your choice. But if not, a desktop will last longer and will cost less.”
Should you buy new or refurbished? New computers have the surety of warranty coverage, but the costs are higher. “A refurbished computer might be cheaper, but it could ‘die’ on you anytime.”
“Can you afford the downtime that computer troubles cause?” asks Balanescu. “If not, and you still want to go the route of refurbished, then factor in IT support in your financial calculation. If the difference between new and refurbished-with-support is negligible, I would go with the new.”
Should you buy or lease? “A lease is more expensive, however, if you don’t have the money to purchase, a lease will give you the option to use the computer to generate revenue to pay the monthly leasing costs.”
Software needs can be expensive too. “But there are some areas where you cannot afford to cut back on. Antivirus, antispyware and a firewall software will protect you from online threats. There are several open source, general public licence or freeware applications, which may, however, not be as efficient as paid subscription applications.”
“Other office software can cost upwards of $200,” says Balanescu. “You have to ask yourself if you can afford the price. If not, there are free options or open source applications like Open Office, which will cover your needs. You can use a free e-mail service to communicate with your customers. The downside of free email is that it may not project the right image of your company to your prospective customers.”
Some free email options like Thunderbird offer basic contact management as well.
Website costs can be cut down by designing your site from available templates. “This should do for starters. Keep in mind that you will need to revamp your website as your business grows.”
Data backup is a must, says Balanescu.
“A computer will crash sooner or later. An external USB hard drive will cover your start-up needs. There are also a few free off-site data backup solutions.”
“If you intend to store confidential data like customers’ credit cards and personal ID, you will need to protect this information. True Crypt can help you encrypt your data for free. Just don’t forget your password.”
Balanescu’s company Tacumen provides comprehensive IT information, especially useful for small businesses, on its website, tacumen.com.
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