New Year, New System: The Dangers of Using Outdated Technology

When vendors announce end-of-life (EOL) status for their products, they are indicating that the product is at the end of its useful life and they will stop marketing and selling it. Additionally, the vendor may reduce or completely end support for the product.

By continuing to operate with antiquated, EOL equipment, you put your business at risk of:

Decreased productivity

One of the costliest issues with using outdated technology is the inherent risk of decreased productivity. When your technology isn’t up to par, employees will have a hard time giving you the efficiency your business needs to be successful. Instead, they will get frustrated, discouraged and may even look to move to a company that provides them with the resources they need to thrive.

Weakened security

Outdated systems are at a much higher risk for security attacks and data breaches. When a vendor announces that a product is nearing its EOL, oftentimes security fixes, patches and updates will no longer provide the protection and defense needed to ward off these threats. When you continue to use this technology, you are putting important business and customer information at risk.

Missed sales opportunities

Put simply, if your customers can’t get ahold of you due to equipment malfunction or some other disaster, they are going to look to another business to meet their needs.

Higher maintenance and repair costs

When equipment is outdated or its status is EOL, the vendor may stop supplying replacement parts or accessories, making them extremely hard and costly to find in the event of a breakdown. Not only will this be a financial burden, but you may also end up with “band-aid,” or temporary, fixes that are sure to negatively impact performance over time.

Non-compliance

Whether you’re running a doctor’s office, insurance firm, or another type of business, many companies are operating in industries with compliance requirements for the ways in which information is collected, stored, and shared. You can be fined or run into legal trouble if your technology does not comply. Even worse, you can open yourself up to security breaches that can negatively impact your business and your customers.

What to do if you are using old, legacy technology

Don’t wait until disaster strikes to upgrade your outdated equipment. If your business is operating with EOL technology, now is the time to make a change.

Contact Warwick today to discuss a fully supported communications solution tailored to your business’ needs.