Would you be better hiring your digital two-way radios?

From homes, to phones, to cars the need to “own” the things we use on a daily basis is declining as more people become accustomed to renting and leasing.

This change of mindset also carries a substantial number of benefits to businesses looking for either short term solutions or those without the kind of money to put into a big capital expenditure.

One aspect of business spend which is often overlooked when it comes to hiring rather than buying is a company’s communication network, with many organisations still insisting on buying bulk amounts of radios or phones for their workforce.

While this might be ok for big corporations it is impractical for small businesses to have this kind of outlay on the books, while for some business types, like those which deal with short term events like exhibitions or festivals, it makes no sense at all to put down a large capital investment on equipment which won’t be used every day.

So, is hiring a communication network and digital two-way radios the answer? And if so, what exactly are the benefits of hiring radios rather than paying outright?

No capital expenditure

Investing a large capital budget into buying new equipment can be a huge decision for a business and can often put their finances under some strain, especially in the short term while they wait to recoup the initial cash injection.

For other businesses there is no sense in putting down a big capital expenditure on items like communications devices and digital two-way radios if they will only be used for a short period and then sit in storage for a few months (by which point the technology will no doubt have moved on and the devices are now out of date).

Hiring equipment like two-way radios on the other hand removes the capital investment, while allowing the business to still benefit from having the equipment within their company. If they only need the devices for a short time they simply hire the radios for as long as they need and send them back.

For the short or long term

The problem with buying equipment outright is that you have to pay the full amount no matter how often you plan to use it.

Like a gym membership, if you use it all the time the cost per use can be worth the investment, if you only use it a few times a week the cost per use goes up and it doesn’t take long to become a bad investment.

The same goes for digital two-way radios.

For some businesses it might make complete sense to buy a radio network and everything which comes with it. For others, renting might make more sense in a cost per use basis.

Leasing a two-way radio network also makes your communication network more flexible.

If you need the devices for three months, you pay the monthly costs knowing that is all you’ll pay; then if you need them for longer you can extend their hiring period.

If you need the two-way radios for the long-term, leasing them simply removes the capital investment in buying the devices and allows you to invest that in other areas of the business instead.

No matter which way you want to go with a two-way digital radio network there will be a deal you can do with your supplier.

Support and maintenance

There is arguably a bigger sense of being in a partnership with a supplier when you choose to hire equipment rather than buy it outright – it might be because your supplier has to work harder to keep you renewing your lease more often than someone who sells you a device outright.

By hiring your business’ two-way radio devices and communications network you will benefit from having a partner at your side to offer support during the time you are using the devices.

Whether this is initial training on getting the most out of your devices, to getting help arranging Ofcom licensing to ongoing maintenance support, hiring your two-way radios rather than buying them can be a much better investment if you’re looking for more than just a hardware supplier.

Upgrades and improvements

Anyone who has ever bought a piece of technology will understand the frustration of paying the money, using it for a few weeks and then out that a new model with upgraded features is in the pipeline.

Your device is instantly out of date.

Technology for business moves at a much more rapid pace than it ever has before.

Hiring digital two-way radios within your communication network allows you to upgrade the network as the technology upgrades, ensuring your employees are always using the latest versions of the technology available to them; ultimately increasing productivity and reducing health and safety risks.

Best fit for your business

There is no doubt that buying digital two-way radios can be the answer to a business’ communications problems.

But there are also explicit benefits to some businesses, whether it is because of budget or capacity, to hiring these essential devices instead.

Ultimately it comes down to planning and understanding how you will be using digital two-way radios within your business.

If you’re not sure whether hiring digital two-way radios is the right thing for your business, click here for more information