With the rising cost of living, more and more people are looking to cut back on rent, utilities, and subscription services, as was recently highlighted by Netflix’s significant drop in subscribers. At 101 Data Solutions, we help companies find the most cost-effective and efficient ways to store and protect their data because subscription-based IT services tend to be cheaper than buying hardware and software separately. However, the cost of such services can quickly add up if you’re not careful, so at 101 Data Solutions, we guide you through the process once we’ve assessed your needs. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money when subscribing to data services – here are some actions you can take today to reduce your costs.
Set a budget first
It’s important to keep a budget when evaluating your needs and choosing vendors. This allows you to keep track of your spending and adjust if necessary. Budgeting also helps you determine which of your current hardware and software is the most important. This can help you avoid underspending on less critical items.
Evaluate your needs
Before you sign a long-term contract with any service provider, take a step back and evaluate your current and future needs. You might find that you don’t need as many services as you think or that you can find other ways to meet many of your needs. For example, if you don’t plan to make significant changes to your network infrastructure shortly, you might be able to avoid spending a lot on hardware. In addition, if you have older technology that you don’t know if you can or should replace, you might be able to avoid investing in software that you don’t need.
Leverage cloud services
Many IT services are now available as subscriptions instead of one-time purchases. This allows you to avoid buying hardware and software separately, which can be expensive. However, it also means you are on a contractual service agreement with the provider. In addition, subscriptions often include access to a range of services, so you should evaluate the benefits of each service against your needs and the cost of each service to see if a subscription makes sense for you.
There are two main types of subscription-based services: Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). With SaaS, you access the software through a web browser, while with PaaS, you access it from a command-line interface. The main difference between the two is that a SaaS provider is likely to have control of the software’s infrastructure, whereas, with a PaaS service, you control the infrastructure. To leverage cloud services, it’s important to open your eyes to the savings available. When you’re only considering one type of service—such as storage, CRM, or email—it can be easy to overlook the cost. However, when considering several services at once, you’re likely to realise how much you can save.
Choose partners who do what you need
As you’re evaluating your needs, it’s important to look at the vendors you’re considering and their services. The more you know about a particular vendor, the easier it will be to find a good fit. In addition, some of the best ways to save money when subscribing to IT services are vendors who specialise in a particular area. You should also keep a list of the specific features that are most important to you. This allows you to make an informed decision during your vendor selection process.
Use a service broker
If you’re looking for a broker to help you choose vendors for your subscription-based services, contact 101 Data Solutions, as we specialise in the data services you need. We can help you identify potential vendors, negotiate and manage contracts with them, and get the full service up and running within your organisation. If you’d like to find ways to save money on your data subscription services, then my team are here to help, just book a call!
About Brett Edgecombe, Managing Director, 101 Data Solutions
Even as a child living in Canada, Brett always had an interest in technology, so starting his career within the technology industry was a natural progression in 1998 when it began at the UK’s first ISP, Compuserve Interactive Services in Bristol.
He has first-hand experience in modern Enterprise Storage Infrastructure solutions, having worked at Sun Microsystems in 2000, where he worked with large commercial and education customers across the UK.
Brett created 101 Data Solutions in 2008 with a focus on Data Storage centric delivered through high-quality technology solutions direct to businesses throughout the UK. His strategic vision and sector knowledge allows him to bring excellence to 101’s customers through experience, technical foresight and relationship building.
