Technology Investment Without Breaking the Bank

Many local authorities and government departments are reliant on old IT infrastructure that can prevent employee’s being as productive as they could be. Ageing internal systems, software not working and slow Wi-Fi connections are problems we’ve all probably encountered at one stage or another. As we well know, these issues can be extremely frustrating when trying to deliver a high-quality service. The obvious solution is to invest in new technologies; however, it is not always as simple as that. Firstly, investing in new technology is often expensive. For one you have to consider the initial cost of the equipment; secondly, when local authorities and government departments do adopt new technology there is often a skills shortage, and the technology does not get used to its full capability, resulting in a lack of perceived value.

As a result, a lot of authorities and government departments see technology as a waste of resource if what they are currently using is still working. As a technology enabler, we are advocates of the benefits of digital technology, on the other hand, we also don’t believe in technology for technology sake. To maximise your technology investment, you need to think strategically. Technology investment shouldn’t be considered for short term gain. You need to think long term and embrace an overarching strategy with clear objectives that best places your authority for success in a digital world.

We believe technology investment doesn’t have to break the bank. We also believe embracing digitalisation is a perfect way for government departments and local authorities to future proof their estate. Flexible leasing models have many financial benefits that are already well established when it comes to funding IT equipment. The residual value model avoids high start-up costs and depreciation in the value of the kit. This takes the pressure off the balance sheet and frees up capital, which can then be spent elsewhere.

The model adapts perfectly to individual circumstances, providing bespoke billing that is based on each individual's requirements. For example, when regarding smartphones, we have started to see a lot of customers unbundling their handsets from their tariff. This approach can generate significant savings when procuring multiple devices.

As we mentioned earlier, technology investments need to be considered strategically. Sometimes the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is true, and it can benefit you to pay that little bit extra for a better service, especially when the investment is something as critical as technology. Authorities need to consider more than just the lowest price. Questions you should be asking yourself include: what happens to the data on the devices when we get rid of them? What should I do with the devices once they’ve been replaced? How do I manage and track my technology estate? Who takes care of the transportation of the assets? 

When you’ve got a large technology rollout to manage, you want everything to run as smoothly as possible. In this scenario, it can often be worth the added extra financial resource to enlist the help of an experienced external partner who for them, this is their bread and butter. In the long run not having to worry about the logistics, data deletion, and configuration of hundreds of technology assets can be worth its weight in gold. Having the equipment ready to use on day one would be the ideal scenario.

Thanks to our experience in technology, finance and the public sector we’ve been able to help many public sector customers transform their IT estate and better prepare themselves for an ever-increasing digital world. Our process starts with getting to know your pain points, and from there we can put together a bespoke solution that will help you see maximum value in your investment. We don’t just stop there though, we can also take care of the transportation, remarketing and data deletion of the equipment at the end of the contract term, while simultaneously rolling out the latest technology to round off a seamless end-to-end service.