As exciting as they are, new technological developments also bring a myriad of challenges to every organization. Yes, they promise to do twice the work in half the time, so purchasing, installing and implementing them is usually the best economic choice. However, new tech often also displaces legacy tech and systems, which have likely been the backbone of a company for years. Managing the retirement of that legacy tech while modernizing your enterprise now requires just as much thought and attention that went into deciding to make the upgrade in the first place.
Each technology system is also a record and repository of corporate information. For years, sometimes decades, those programs and systems have gathered customer and colleague data, performed millions of transactions, connected with dozens, maybe hundreds of other systems, and more. The volume of that legacy data and its functioning processes is vast and often forms the very character and spirit of its company. Once it’s mothballed, it shouldn’t just lie dormant for forever, nor is it optimal to simply destroy it en masse.
There are several high-level points to consider when evaluating the scope and purposes of a corporate technology retirement strategy. More nuanced considerations emerge as those larger elements come into focus:
Remarketing you retired computer equipment can help you recover value from your initial investment. However, it is not always economical or practical for a company to sell its fleet of used desktops, laptops or tablets on their own. Depending on the age and number of devices, it may be advantageous to seek out an IT Reseller who has experience refurbishing, appraising, and reselling computer systems.
This isn’t just because you’ll have to give up core activities to map out the logistics, costs, and marketing efforts. The biggest benefit is that value is added in the refurbishing process, maximizing the recovery of the original investment.
The refurbishing process includes cleaning, repairing, and combining systems so that they are in a functioning state. If resellers pack and pick up the equipment for you, it reduces the cost and hassle of disposing of retired IT assets. If some of the retired equipment is non-functioning or damaged, you can tear down the systems and salvage or sell individual components. Even if no value can be recovered from specific devices, an Certified Reseller has the ability to recycle e-waste in an environmentally-friendly and regulatory-compliant way.
