IT Repairs

Prolonging the life of IT hardware and managing the use of equipment with circularity in mind are key focuses for the Techbuyer team – it is an area in which we dedicate a lot of work, time and research.  

However, a recent survey, conducted in partnership with the University of Hull, has confirmed that we are not alone in this interest! This survey demonstrated that 79% of companies who took part repair or upgrade enterprise IT equipment in-house. 73% of respondents also shared that they cascade assets between users to make best use of the resources available.  

This news, recently shared across news platforms, including the Yorkshire Times and the Data Centre Alliance, demonstrates a drive for extending the lifespan of technology and the adoption of more circular IT habits.  

The survey, conducted in the run up to International Repairs Day on the 19th October, coincided with requests for changes in political agenda to focus more heavily on the Right to Repair and the development of product lifespan extension skills, of which repair and refurbishment play an integral part.  

From this survey, our team were able to suggest areas for improvement in the IT habits of companies, as well as examine where interests lie:  

“According to this survey, 63% of SMEs are not currently using tools or software for proactive IT equipment monitoring. This presents an exciting opportunity to apply advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data analytics, which could enable real-time monitoring at the component level. We are currently working with Techbuyer to develop such software as part of an Innovate UK funded project,” stated Professor Dhaval Thakker, Professor of AI and IoT at the University of Hull. 

This having been said, it was encouraging to see circular habits starting to take hold in business IT use for the 53 organisations who took part in the survey. 

Our key takeaways from this survey are:  

  • Refurbished purchases are gaining popularity, with 61% of respondents reporting a blend of new and refurbished IT equipment in their operations. 
  • IT hardware usage cycles are extending, as 69% of companies now refresh their equipment every three years or more. 
  • Efficient resource utilisation is evident, with 79% of companies cascading assets between users. 
  • Most companies handle repairs or upgrades internally, while those that don’t typically lack in-house skills. 

This survey feeds directly into our current Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the University of Hull, which explores how companies can better manage, maintain and analyse performance for their current IT assets. Find out more about this KTP here.  

For more information on how to optimise your overall systems and to chat to a member of our team on how we can help you integrate more circular IT habits, complete our contact form here.