Times are tough. We understand the pressure placed on businesses by the economy, and the undeniable temptation to settle for the cheapest option wherever possible, all in the name of "cutting costs". The reality is that everyone is feeling the pinch, and certain cutbacks are justified in order to keep within those ever-constricting budget margins. However, there are some situations where choosing a cheap and cheerful option might leave you feeling poor and mopey in the long run, and network cabling is one of these areas.
Your network is no longer a just another commodity, but an absolute necessity in today's business world. You wouldn't consider utilities just another commodity in your building, but an absolute must-have. Well, your network just joined the "must-haves". A network can make or break a business, which is why it's essential to ensure you have a good one, from cabling and hardware to software.
Reasons You Should Consider A Bigger Network Cabling Budget
1. Avoiding Hidden Costs Later On
In an effort to cut costs, you decide on a cheaper network cabling solution. At first, everything seems fine. Then couple of months down the line your still "new" network hits a wobbly. Suddenly, business grinds to a halt in the face of a crashed network, costing you revenue and valuable time, and you find yourself needing to call in a network professional, who takes one look at your cheap and nasty network cabling and says, "Sure we can fix it, but we're going to have to redo some of it."
You end up forking out a second wad of cash to repair or correct your cabling solution, which once tallied with the original cost of installation, ends up being more than you would have paid for a quality network cabling solution that would have lasted, and having to go through the hassle of downtime on your network as well.
2. Build for the Future
Today's network needs to be able to handle vast quantities of data at speed. Never before has the speed of a network been more critical than now, in an age where almost everything is connecting to the network. Bigger bandwidth is crucial, and if you're not planning a network cabling solution that can provide it, you'll be sorry long-term. As cloud computing takes off, your network needs to be able to withstand the rigorous demands that may be placed upon it. A cheap network cabling solution often meets an immediate need, but lacks scalability and isn't futureproof, which often requires further expenditure to correct it, and at worst replacing.
3. Do It Right First Time
Penny-pinching means you'll probably get inferior cabling, and quite often inferior labour quality and expertise as well. Despite what they might say, an electrician is not qualified to run your network cabling. Network cabling is not the same as electrical cabling, and requires a expert hand to ensure it's installed perfectly. Going cheap on your network cabling may cost you big in the long term.
It's important to view your network cabling as an investment. It's a vital asset to your business, and one which can cripple it should it fail. The old adage goes, "Penny-wise, Pound-foolish", and in the case of network cabling solutions has never been truer. Make the smart choice, and splash out on your cabling solution. You won't regret it!
