So, you want to upgrade your office electronics to the latest and greatest tech in 2022. What should you invest in? And, most importantly, how should you properly dispose of your old office electronics?
Here’s something we can all agree on: Choosing the right office electronics for your business’s needs is crucial to your success. You don’t want to find yourself investing in something unnecessary or missing a device you need.
With that being said, we compiled a list of common office electronics and their benefits so you can make the right tech choice in the new year. Additionally, we provided easy electronic waste disposal options for your business to consider when you decide to get rid of your old devices.
Let’s get started!
What Office Electronics Does Your Business Need?
Technology’s role in businesses around the world continues to increase as technological advancements pick up. We are constantly finding more efficient ways to do our daily tasks with the use of technology.
If you want to keep from falling behind your competition, then your business needs to adapt and incorporate more electronic devices.
Depending on the type of industry you are in and the unique needs of your business, you should consider getting one or more of these 5 common office electronics.
Desktop Computers
Desktop computers are often the most durable option and are actually the most cost-effective.
If you are looking to equip all of your staff with a computer, we suggest starting with a desktop. Here’s why.
Pros and Cons of Computers
Desktops are often cheaper to repair and customize compared to other gadgets, and you can get more processing power at a better price. This makes it easier to supply your entire office with computers without blowing your budget.
Another main advantage to desktops is their large monitors. Many find working on larger screens easier, especially those with disabilities or problems reading small text. Desktops also have better processing power and storage capacity.
A con to desktops is that they aren’t portable; but, depending on your business, that may not be an issue.
Here’s a tip: If you can’t decide between a laptop or desktop, consider getting both. Studies show that giving your employees two screens can increase productivity by 20-30%.
Laptops
Laptops are perfect for those who work on the go. If your employees work remotely or need to be able to access the internet in the field, we suggest investing in these portable computers.
Next, laptops are especially great for businesses that value collaboration because they make mobility easy, allowing your teams to get together to work. If you are willing to spend more money on a premium laptop, you can have the same performance as a desktop.
The con to laptops, as opposed to desktops, is that they are more fragile and they cost more to get all of the bells and whistles.
Tablets
For those who are always on the go and don’t want to be confined to a heavy laptop but still want a larger screen than a cell phone, tablets are perfect. They are lightweight and can easily fit in a small bag.
Pros and Cons of Tablets
One advantage that tablets have over laptops is they often have longer battery life. This is due to their small screen size and limited hardware. Additionally, tablets are often far cheaper than laptops and desktops.
Another major perk is that they are more secure because they work on closed systems. Therefore they are less likely to get a virus or malware making them perfect for industries that work with sensitive information.
One con to consider is that tablets often have less storage than their counterparts meaning you will either have to make do with what you have or invest in external hard drives.
Pro tip: If you want to be able to use a tablet as a laptop, add-ons such as keyboards or stands are easy to find and are fairly cheap.
Smartphones
The best way to ensure easy communication with your employees is a work phone. They can set up a work number and email on their smartphone so they can be available at any time, anywhere.
With how advanced smartphones are nowadays, your employees could conduct most of their work on their phones. Most apps and software can be synced with computers making mobile work seamless.
Smartphones are Great for Remote Work
Giving your employees a work phone is especially helpful if your team works completely remotely. Streamlined communication is a must for ensuring the success of remote work.
This is also a great way to monitor your employees’ business communications with each other and clients.
Just remember, if you are going to buy all of your employees a work phone, then you also need the budget to pay for their line.
TV
If your business has a conference room where presentations take place, then we recommend getting a television. Instead of having an entire team crowd around a laptop, you can display your presentation on the tv screen.
Adding visuals to your presentations not only looks more professional, but studies show they make presentations 43% more persuasive.
Additionally, you can use television for digital displays for customers or employees. For example, you can keep employees updated on the latest office news or events. On the other hand for customers, you can use it to advertise new products or services.
Printer
While many businesses are turning to paperless processes, printers are still often necessary office electronics for your business.
One reason is that while you may want to go paperless, your customers or partners may not be yet. Therefore you can be limiting yourself by not being able to provide paper invoices or receipts.
Additionally, hard-copy documents are always important to have for your records. In case of technical issues like viruses or crashes having a backup is crucial, we recommend having any financial records or reports printed just to be safe.
Pro tip: Get a printer that also works as a copier and fax machine to save money and ensure that you have everything you might need. You can also invest in a printer that digitally connects to your phone through Bluetooth, so you can print materials directly from your smartphone.
Now that we’ve discussed the type of office electronics your business may need, we will explain where to dispose of your electronics.
What to Do With Your Old Office Electronics?
If you decide to purchase new office electronics for your business, then you should know how to properly dispose of them.
Whether they are at the end of their life, or you just want to upgrade, you need to know the different options for what to do with your old office electronics and where to get rid of them. Let’s dive right in.
Donate
If your electronics don’t have any private information, then you can donate them. Many places will accept your old office electronics as donations even if they do not work, just make sure to check beforehand.
You can check local organizations such as recreational or education centers to see if they are accepting donations. If your local charities are not collecting electronic devices, Goodwill has a program called Dell Reconnect where you can drop off any used computers, or devices that work with computers.
Donating your electronics is not only a great way to give back, but it can also be deducted from your tax returns.
Sell
Selling your old office electronics is often only an option if your electronics are still working. While you are not likely to get full value, you can make some money that you otherwise would not get.
Here’s the hard part: Selling your used devices can be tricky, especially if you have secure information on them. Make sure you completely wipe any devices before selling them, even if they are a trusted company.
While selling your office electronics is an option, we do not recommend it because of the increase in data breaches. Data breaches can not only expose your business’s private information, but they also lead to legal problems with your customers, costing you lots of money.
So, what is the best option when it comes to disposing of your electronics?
Recycle
The safest option for both your business and the environment is to recycle your business electronics with a trusted facility. That way, you can ensure that your devices are being disposed of properly without any negative impacts on your privacy or on nature.
A trusted recycling facility can completely remove any private data you have on your devices. Additionally, they recycle the metals and dispose of the plastics from your office electronics in an environmentally-friendly way. It’s a win-win!
Recycle Your Office Electronics with Great Lakes Electronics Corporation
At GLEC, we ensure that all of your data is destroyed and can even give you proof of proper data destruction. This confirms that all data devices are handled in accordance with NIST 800.88 standards.
When you recycle your eWaste with us, we protect you from any future data or environmental liabilities that come with improper disposal. We work to make sure you don’t have to worry about anything once you drop off your electronics.
Additionally, through our asset management services, we can help you identify and recover the value of your technology. That way, you have the opportunity to offset the cost of your office electronics that you are no longer using.
Ready to get started? Request a quote online or give us a call at 888-392-7831.