How will the Global Shortage of Computer Chips affect your business.
Portal Technologies would like to make all our clients and business owners aware that there is a global shortage of computer chips and how this could affect your business.
The last year has stressed and tested even the strongest of business models. Forced into adapting daily practices once thought as unmovable. Office buildings became empty as staff relocated to working in a spare room or on the kitchen table. These environmental changes triggered a change in habits, with the demand for desktops changing to demand for laptops.
For those running more intensive software programmes such as SAGE, a cheaper model from Curry’s PC World does not possess the power needed for the best performance.
The steady decline since last year has meant technology companies have been working hard to address the shortage in computer chips that have hit production lines hard. The computer chip acts as ‘The brain’ for every electronic device, so the shortage of computer chips is critical to production.
The other issue discussed earlier at the production line is that habits have changed—resulting in a change to the devices that we demand. For example, demand for desktops has changed to a greater need for laptops to aid remote working.
Lead times have turned into weeks, but we are now looking at months as the shortage intensifies. The reduction in supply has also led to price increases with increased shipping costs also contributing to the rising costs.
WHAT ARE PORTAL TECHNOLOGIES DOING ABOUT IT?
Portal Technologies have several clients that turn to us to supply computers capable of ensuring that staff have the correct device to perform their daily tasks. So below are the steps we are currently doing to ensure that our clients’ impact is minimal.
Constant Communication
Communication is vital to all aspects of all business but even more so during moments where products might experience delays. Our Portal Technologies team are constantly talking with our current suppliers. Our regular suppliers have been very clear about what is going on, and whilst we expect longer lead times, they are working hard to reduce them where possible.
With this information from our suppliers, we are then communicating it to our clients. For example, clients who have new starts staff members or are currently planning to update the current IT set-up within their business.
Market Research
Whilst we work with our regular suppliers, we are also monitoring what stock levels are within other suppliers if they have availability to help with our current client’s situations.
Site Visits
Our IT Technician, Mikey, has been going out to some of our clients for site visits now and introducing one of our newest team members, Jason. Jason joined in October and is responsible for our social media and digital marketing. Since Jason joined us in October, he has been looking forward to meeting our customers, but getting out to clients has not been possible until the restrictions began to relax recently. Whilst Jason is introducing himself to the clients, Mikey has been looking at the current systems and taking note of anything that may need to be updated.
Accessibility
Our Team at Portal Technologies is already easily accessible to our clients. We are just reminding our clients of how to get in touch with us if they are looking to update their devices shortly. Clients reading this will have had a link sent to them to this blog and bullet points of the main talking points sent to them.
Our systems and processes are in place, and as always, we will work with our clients to minimise the impact of the global shortage of computer chips on their business.
If you have any concerns or have recently thought that you will need to purchase devices in the short future, please contact our team today, and we will be happy to help.
