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When is the Right Time to Upgrade Your IT Network?

Pacific Infotech
by November 30, 2016

If you’re anything like most businesses in the hospitality industry, you went all out during your initial launch phase to invest in the best possible IT network your budget would allow. Sold on the promise of long-term reliability and high performance, your entire network infrastructure -from servers to switches to high power routers- was built to support the ongoing growth of your business.

Yet years have gone by, and whilst that initial network installation may have done its job in those early days, you’re now starting to question whether it’s time for an upgrade.

After all, things have moved on greatly. Technology just isn’t the same as it was when you first launched your business, nor is your business itself. You’ve evolved, your needs and -more importantly- the needs of your customers, have changed. As such, you’re now left wondering whether it’s finally time to upgrade, or if there may potentially be a good reason for holding off, at least in the short term.

Naturally, with so much involved, this isn’t a decision you’re planning to take lightly. Here, Pacific Infotech’s network support specialists list five key signs that it’s finally time to upgrade your IT network, helping you to reach an informed decision about the future of your infrastructure.

It’s time to upgrade your IT network when…

1: You’re making more and more calls to your business IT support provider

calling-for-it-supportYou likely still remember the early days of your relationship with your IT services team. Back then, you’d contact them maybe once in the proverbial blue moon when something unexpected seemed to go awry. Those days are now long gone, replaced instead with ever-more frequent calls to deal with crashing machines, slow internet performance, or a plethora of other issues.

That’s a good sign that your existing setup is struggling to meet your current demands, and it may be time to invest in a network infrastructure upgrade.

2: You’re planning to invest in new hotel software solutions

That initial network installation you invested in more than served its purpose in the early days of your business, but technology has evolved at such a rapid rate that your system isn’t compatible with the latest software releases.

Certainly, you may just be able to get away with installing that next generation Hotel PMS on your several-years-old server, but performance is likely to be slow, sluggish, and prone to error.

If then, your hotel IT goals involve investing in software upgrades, you may well benefit from upgrading your network to really make the most of that new software.

3: Your data storage is full to the brim

data-storage-is-full-to-the-brimHow many times lately have you had to call your hotel IT support service to clear up some much needed data storage space on your server?

If it’s becoming a regular occurrence, that’s a good sign that it’s time to upgrade to scalable cloud solution which offers all the storage and memory you need, only when you need it.

Cloud servers are far more flexible than standard hardware solutions, and can go a long way in reducing not only running costs, but also the time and hassle of permanently configuring your hardware to maximise space.

4: Guests are complaining about your Hotel WiFi

When you first opened for business, hotel WiFi was perhaps seen as something of a luxury, an added selling point perhaps, but hardly an essential component of delivering first class guest experiences.

Again, those days are but a distant memory. With increasing numbers of guests using the web to access services, information, and entertainment, high speed, high performance hotel WiFi is as important -and expected- a part of your guest experience as fresh towels and an in-room TV.

If your current system is unable to meet demand, it’s a sign that you could well benefit from a serious upgrade.

5: You’re planning to grow your business over the next few years

Whilst some businesses may well be content to coast along a certain plateau of success, you’re certainly not one of them. You have big plans to implement some serious growth strategies over the coming year. Perhaps those strategies involve hiring more in-house staff, using better, more sophisticated technology, and taking guest experiences to a whole new level of luxury and convenience.

Whatever the case may be, in today’s technology driven society, it’s never been more important to ensure that your IT network infrastructure is capable of supporting your growth plans.

Need support with developing network infrastructure upgrade project plan, moving to a cloud server solution, or improving your hotel WiFi? Call the network installation and support specialists at Pacific Infotech on 020 313 76707. Alternatively, contact us online to arrange a free consultation about your network upgrade plans.