Barbell or Dumbbell - The right kit for the job

Higher spec doesn't automatically mean higher output. In the gym and in IT, the smarter question is what actually matches the work in front of you.

Expensive Doesn't Mean Effective

In one of the recent strength and conditioning classes, we had a member with a metal plate in one of their arms. I listened to our instructor advise them to use kettlebells and dumbbells instead of barbells to strengthen the arm. The reason was that unilateral weightlifting would allow the arm with the plate to get stronger whereas barbells would result in the stronger arm overcompensating, causing further strength imbalance on both sides.

You can shoulder press with a barbell or a dumbbell, what makes you decide on which equipment to use is the purpose of the workout. This can be said about gym trainers, you don’t go in the shop and ask for the most expensive trainer hoping it will be ideal for running and weightlifting. You need to know what you will be using the trainers for and from there, the cost conversation comes in.

The same logic can be applied to IT hardware procurement. Businesses assume that top-spec, top-price equipment is the best approach for everyone. However, a finance team running spreadsheets, a receptionist managing Outlook calendars and a design team editing videos don’t have the same functions and therefore don’t need the same device. Having a blanket approach to IT procurement is not being cautious, It’s cash leakage. You are spending high amounts of cash without getting what you really paid for at the expense of other parts of the business.

The Spec vs Spend Trap

The trap gets worse over time, not better. You can buy the top spec outright today, and in three years that "future-proof" machine is not just outdated - it's a sunk cost the business is stuck justifying, because writing it off feels like admitting the original purchase was wrong. So, it gets kept in service past its useful life, slowing the user down.

Many businesses are realising the importance of a “persona-based” approach to their IT hardware procurement. Matching the right device to the relevant user delivers a cost-effective outcome. You bring leasing into the picture, and like a good workout, it’s balanced, functional and effective. Your business is then empowered to gear up and down device specs without another part of the business overcompensating for the buying decisions.

The function of the gym workout drives the use of equipment. The same way, the function of the user should drive the laptop fleet to be purchased. Expensive doesn’t always mean functional. Match the kit to the work and maximize the cost saving.