How to reduce your IT spend

When it comes to IT, every school’s needs are different, but with the regular demands placed on budgets, one thing they all have in common is the need for cost efficiency.

Whether your school has just updated its network or needs a complete refresh, no one wants to pay more than necessary to maximise student learning.

Keep your systems running as they should be, reduce costly downtime and have a school IT system your students and teachers can be proud of by following this simple advice.

School IT experts Halchax explore the five top tips for getting the most out of your IT spend.

1. Run an IT audit

The best way to save money is to plan and be strategic in your approach. Carrying out an audit of your current procedures will show how your network is currently working. It will focus on successes and failures to show where cutbacks can be made and how you can improve the smooth running of your systems. Regularly reviewing your practices is one of the simplest ways to keep track of your spending. You can then look at planning in additional resources to maximise output.

2. Have a clear plan

Strategically budgeting your IT spend will help to minimise unwanted surprise bills. Keep asking questions about what will have the most impact on your school performance and goals. There is no point in spending budget in the short term if you don’t think about the long-term use of the system and how that might change.  Create a clear plan so that you know how the needs of staff and students might change and how your IT system can support that.

3. Keep your technology up to date

Regularly keeping school computers, networks and resources up to date can seem a costly expense. However, ongoing maintenance and repairs on old systems can prove a real drain on budgets. They can throw up unpredictable repair bills and lengthy downtime for staff and students, costing you time and money. Investing wisely at the right time will maintain continuity, keep your school running smoothly and reduce costly ongoing maintenance bills.

Simply keeping on top of regular system updates will also increase the lifespan of your products and prevent costly downtime.

4. Invest in good-quality security systems

School security is an area you should never compromise on. Buying cheaper security protection may feel like a saving in the short term, but it can be a costly error. Lengthy downtime caused by computer hacks and malware can be a hefty drain on budgets. Spare yourself the added expense and keep your security systems up to date so that you prevent costly cyber-attacks.

5. Think long-term

Quick fixes will rarely be cost-effective. They might be tempting with a smaller initial outlay. However, over the lifetime of your school, these little quick fixes can add up to a hefty bill. Be clear about what you want to achieve and invest wisely. Investing in good quality IT systems initially will reduce the cost of maintenance and ongoing issues. They can also help to make your school more attractive to students and employees, bringing further funding opportunities later down the line. When you are assessing the next steps for your IT, it’s always best to look at the cost of any investment over the term of its use so that you get a realistic comparison of cost.

Whatever stage you are in your school’s IT take the time to invest in expert advice and guidance to make the very most of your budget.

Halchax offers a School IT audit, which will review your current systems and help you get to where you need to be. Reduce the risk of unwanted surprise bills and keep an eye on your budget by only spending on items which meet your goals and allow your IT systems to run smoothly.

To book your School IT Audit get in touch today: 0330 102 7464 or info@halchax.co.uk