Looking into the IT Asset Disposition world, finding the right partner and protecting your brand is very important. In a recent article called “Asset Recovery: Remove, Remarket, Recycle, Report” by Michael Siaia, the discussion and comparison regarding acquisition versus disposition of assets is well discussed. At AER Worldwide, we find a similar case for Saia’a case. Companies tend to be excellent and even experts in negotiations for new assets. As those assets come to the end of their lifecycle, the knowledge and expertise of disposal, data security, brand protection and environmental concerns tends to wane off.
In the world of IT asset disposition and disposal, there are some key factors to consider:
- Disposal: Are these assets ready to be disposed of? Is that the internal requirement? Who are we using to dispose of these assets? What are their credentials?
- Data Security: Do these units with sensitive data need to be destroyed, or can they be wiped of important data and reused, resold? What is the wipe process? How do we internally handle the disposition of the data wipe? If using a third party service provider (3PSP), do we trust them?
- Brand Protection: Where will these assets end up? Who will handle these assets once they leave our facility? Will the service provider taking these units follow the chain of custody? How can we be protected legally and our brand be protected? How can this process promote our brand?
- Environmental Risks: Is our 3PSP disposing of these units properly? Is this going to be recycled? Are we using a 3PSP that has the proper certifications to handle our assets? What is our 3PSP’s reputation? Are we hurting the environment in any way through the process
Sometimes these thoughts can be simple, but if not handled correctly, a lot can come back to hurt the brand (company) in a negative way. This can come in the form of negative perception with consumers, customers, but also with branding and reputation as well.
Every company doing any sort of refresh program or decommissioning any assets should consider allowing a 3PSP to handle this work. We say in the service industry that, a company should do what they do best and let their partners do what they do best. IT asset disposition can either be a harmful or helpful process. Finding the right help is key.
About AER Worldwide
AER Worldwide mitigates risk and provides global solution to handle your entire end-of-life materials management needs. We provide eco-friendly solutions and services throughout the entire IT product life cycle. Our Reverse Logistics efforts, or “aftermarket” services, help organizations after the initial sale and provide IT asset disposition support throughout the life of the equipment. With global locations, AER Worldwide will provide eco-friendly services, with certified brand protection techniques. To learn more about AER Worldwide, visit www.aerworldwide.com.
