Have you ever wondered what happened to all those old desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets you used to own?
Okay, some of us still store old, unwanted tech kits in our ever-crowded garages. But ultimately, all that IT equipment needs to go somewhere.
Businesses have that same problem on a far larger scale. But there is a solution: hiring an ITAD company. Here’s what ITAD companies do and why your business might need their expertise.
What Do ITAD Companies Do?
ITAD companies offer an outsourced service to businesses of all sizes looking to dispose of old IT equipment. ITAD is short for IT Asset Disposal. ITAD services might include:
- Removing IT equipment from premises
- Safe destruction of equipment
- Environmentally sound disposal of equipment
- Destruction of commercially sensitive data using hard drive shredding or similar methods
- Documentation and audit trail covering any kit they’ve removed and destroyed
- Transportation and storage when moving your equipment off-site
A reputable ITAD company will follow quality and security standards. That might include accreditation such as ISO9001 and ISO14001.
Those certifications are important markers when selecting a disposal company. Often, an ITAD business is handling sensitive and secure data on old IT equipment, so you’ll want assurance that it’s in trusted, safe hands.
Reasons to Hire ITAD Companies
Is an ITAD company the right choice for your business? Here are some of the advantages of hiring an ITAD business to help with your disposal needs:
- The company will know the proper method for complex equipment destruction
- It will take away any in-house responsibilities from your busy team
- Equipment disposal will follow environmental regulations in your local area, ensuring your business meets sustainability needs and avoids needless government or local authority fines
- You won’t need to worry about sensitive business data getting into the wrong hands
- You won’t have old, clunky equipment taking up expensive and finite storage space on your business premises
- The audit trail will ensure you never have things go amiss and can keep track of all your equipment
The biggest concern most companies have about handing IT equipment over to third parties is data security.
ITAD companies handle this by using certified, fully vetted staff for any operation that involves coming into contact with the client’s equipment. When searching for ITAD services, ensure they use vetted staff.
Another big plus point for many companies is the cost associated with IT disposal.
An outsourced ITAD company can offer economies of scale with some of the specialist kits you need to destroy hardware and data.
You won’t need to make these investments or train internal staff to know how to carry out the destruction, which ultimately will save you money.
You will also avoid any costs from environmental fines that you could incur for incorrect kid disposal. And you’ll prevent data fines for hackers getting hold of customer data like addresses or telephone numbers.
Are ITAD Companies Right for You?
ITAD companies might not be the most obvious investment choice when your business has a finite budget. But in terms of benefits, hiring an ITAD company is essential for many growing and mid-sized companies.
Why not head to our finance section for more advice on spending your business budget wisely?
