All technology eventually wears over time and becomes less effective. On top of this, newer technologies are constantly being introduced to the market that are more reliable and more advanced. For these reasons, it’s important to regularly upgrade your tech as a business so that you’re constantly using the best technology that you can. But just when exactly should you upgrade? This post explains when you should be considering updating various types of business tech.

Computers

Computers play a vital part in the running of many businesses. The average computer has a life of about 5 years (although there may be ways to extend your computer’s life beyond this). Factor in this average life when knowing when to replace your hardware. Another good time to upgrade could be when problems start arising that require expensive repairs. Usually once the hard drive dies, it’s worth getting a new computer. Similarly if important ports stop working or charging becomes less effective (in the case of a laptop) it could be time to upgrade. 

Internet

A strong internet connection is also crucial for handling many business tasks efficiently. If you’ve noticed that your internet has been acting slow or the connection has been constantly dropping, it may be time to consider an upgrade. Most businesses realise that they have to upgrade every few years as their company grows – the data and bandwidth requirements become much greater and so a more powerful connection is needed. If you relocate, you may also find that you need a new internet plan.

Software

Most software has a lifetime of about 10 years from when it is first launched to when it loses support. Software that is no longer supported can develop bugs or become vulnerable to new cyberattack methods, so you should try to replace any software before it loses support. Many big software providers will simply have a newer version that you can migrate to, although you may decide that you want to migrate to a completely new application. It could be worth upgrading to new software earlier if your needs change – for example, as your company grows, you may find that you need a new plan that supports more users. 

Phone systems

As to how to know if your business phone system needs an upgrade, it all comes down to the types of phone features you can benefit from. Modern business phone systems have so many useful features that many businesses could benefit from including call recording and automated phone menus. If your business is growing or you’re thinking of relocating, it could be a good time to consider new features and phone systems. Generally speaking, you should aim to upgrade your phone system every five to seven years. 

Specialist machinery

From commercial coffee machines to industrial printers, there are many types of specialist machinery that may only be necessary for certain businesses. It’s important to keep up with technological advancements in your industry to ensure that your machinery is still efficient enough. Consider looking up the average life of your machinery to get a good idea of when you should be thinking of replacing. If your business grows or your need changes, new machinery may also be necessary (for example, if you have extended a coffee bar to allow more customers in, you may find that you need a new coffee machine with extra groups for serving more coffee or extra automated features such as water filling).