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Tech Support Rates High
Key Considerations in Supplier Selection
IT vendors can expect a net increase in spending by companies in Canada on hardware, software and services during the next twelve months. Hardware will continue to account for the bulk of IT budgets.
These are some of the findings in the annual survey of small and medium business operations conducted by Evans Research Corporation. Its report is based on a random survey of 625 Canadian companies with 10 employees or more.
The president or owner usually has final purchasing authority with respect to IT products, especially in smaller firms, and the Internet remains the top source of information on IT products and services, says Ivar Kangur, a senior market analyst with ECR.
Local dealers are the preferred purchase source for Canadian companies, and tech support and product knowledge are the key considerations in selecting a supplier, the survey says
Companies tend to stay with one hardware supplier as much as possible, Kangur reports, although software and services are more likely to be purchased from multiple sources. Consultant usage tends to be on a short-term basis and is usually software related.
After a slight downturn last year, leasing is back in favour, according to the survey. And about a third of companies lease some or all of their computer equipment. Leasing is more popular in Ontario than in other parts of Canada.
In an unprecedented three-way win, Dell took the number one spot in PC, notebook, and server installations (by brand) in 2004. Buying intentions reveal that Dell is expected to maintain its lead in all three product areas during the next twelve months.
Cisco is the reigning supplier in the networking hardware market and Hewlett-Packard is number one in networked storage. Both vendors are expected to retain their respective leads in purchases in the coming year. Although the majority of PCs and printers in Canadian companies are networked, few communicate wirelessly.
In terms of software, most companies include networking and security applications in their tool kit, says Kangur. Information and data management software and serverware are also frequently used. Of the major types of software, security software will be the most widely purchased application during the year.
Web site hosting is the most commonly outsourced service, according to the ERC survey. Offshore outsourcing continues to be extremelyrare in Canada. Hardware installation and maintenance, and software deployment and support, are usually done in-house, especially in larger companies.
Evans Research Corporation (ERC) is a Canadian company that provides authoritative market research and information services to meet the marketing and strategic planning requirements of information technology and general business organizations globally. Website: www.evansresearch.com os
Bright idea for small business
You can add vibrant colour to your office equipment without putting your budget in the red with the HP Colour LaserJet 3550,designed with the smaller business in mind.
HPs ImageREt 2400 technology delivers a broad range of colours, smooth images and sharp black text. With printing speeds up to 16 pages a minute, the unit has an automatic media type sensing and print mode adjustment. There is high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity and an optional HP Jetdirect wired or wireless print server.
The series is designed with a 100-sheet mutipurpose tray and 250-sheet tray for input capacity of 350 sheets, with an optional 500-sheet input tray for total input capacity of 850 sheets.
Estimated street price is $983 (LaserJet 3550) and $1,229 (LaserJet 3550n). The four colour cartridges are approximately $160 each.
Document management options
Canon Canada Inc. has launched four new generation monochrome digital multifunction imaging systems: the imageRUNNER 2270 and 2870 for small businesses and work groups and the imageRUNNER 3570 and 4570 for medium-sized corporate departments.
The four black-and-white modelshousing Canons multifunctional embedded application platform (MEAP) atop its latest imagePlatform architectureare designed to speed the work flow and increase the level of information security and document process control options.
The units print from 22 to 45 pages per minute with superior image resolutions. The systems are Internet-enabled and designed to permit tight integration with web-based information systems as well as enhanced security/encryption capabilities. An optional Universal Send kit enables users to push documents to any network destination, including e-mail addresses or Internet faxes, network folders and document management systems. All four models ship standard with Ethernet network connectivity and offer the capability to add optional functionality including network printing, faxing and scanning.
Suggested retail prices for the main systems are: $6,995, $9,465, $11,100 and $12,900, respectively.
Multi-task units boost flexibility
Lexmarks new line of robust, fast and easy-to-use MFPsthe X632s, X634e and X634dteprovide solutions that allow organizations to re-engineer hardcopy workflow with platforms that enable print, copy, fax and scan to network with greater efficiency and economy.
With copy speeds of up to 45 pages per minute and a colour touchscreen that can be customized, the models offer the performance and functionality of larger devices, but at less cost. They are ideal tools to help accelerate any paper-based business process. Coupled with Lexmark Document Solutions Suite, users can custom-create icons that can be linked with workflow processessuch as financial loan applications and medical record processing. All products are available immediately.
Estimated street price:
Lexmark X632s, $2,599;
Lexmark X634e, $3,699;
Lexmark X634dte, $4,6999.
For more information:
www.lexmark.ca or call 1-800-LEXMARK.
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