ITAD Companies: How to Choose One Right for Your Needs

Who Is the Best ITAD Company for You?

As the IT industry has grown, so has the number of ITAD companies (see: what is ITAD).

With so many options it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when considering vendors

While there are plenty of lists of ITAD companies, this method for picking a company is ineffective, as it can be difficult to figure out which companies provide which services. Projects also vary wildly, so reviews don’t always tell the full picture.

It’s like choosing a new employee based on the size of their facebook following.

You could always pick any behemoth recycler like SIMS or Iron Mountain.

But consider purchasing a car as an example: you may not need a MACK Truck to take your groceries home.

It’s more important to find a company tailored to you, just as a new employee has to fit into your company culture and a car has to fit your lifestyle.

This article will help you understand the ITAD landscape as well as how to differentiate between the different ITAD companies to help you find an ITAD vendor that’s right for your needs.

How to Choose the Right ITAD Vendor for Your Company

When deciding on an ITAD vendor, think of it as an interview.

To sort through all the candidates, it’s best to ask the different ITAD companies the right questions.

By asking the right questions, you can find a company that will be reliable in the future.

After given time to coalesce, you will be left with a long-term partner who understands your enterprise’s needs and can accommodate you with much less investment or worry on your end.

Most ITAD companies will claim to offer the same level of services. While there may be some differences here and there between ITAD companies, to the consumer, most vendors appear much the same.

So what questions should you ask to sort through all the ITAD companies?

Ask ITAD Companies the Right Questions

Do they have the Necessary Certifications? 

Ask about their certifications and confirm them with the certification providers to ensure they’re still current. R2, ISO 14001 , E-stewards, and OHSAS 18001 are critical to . Note that R2 and E-stewards are interchangeable. These certifications ensure that they are qualified to help you with compliance needs and data security.

Will The ITAD Company Communicate Effectively?

Ask for specific points of contact – do they give you individuals’ contact information, or just direct you to a service line? A partnership without an easy way to communicate is no partnership at all. How promptly did a qualified person reply to your outreach?

Is the ITAD Company Knowledgeable?

Ask the company about ways that you can improve all or part of your IT asset disposition process – Do they share insightful feedback? Does their feedback convey expertise and understanding of your unique needs as an enterprise?

Will The ITAD Company Follow Your Policies Stringently?

Request information on the regulations your company is subject to such as HIPPA what procedures they have in place to help you navigate any compliance hurdles you may come across. An insightful response demonstrates they have worked with companies similar to yours before and will be able to guide you more effectively.

Have a few interactions before you commit to a partnership with any ITAD companies. After a few deals, you should have a good idea of how they fit with your organization.

Do they Offer a Full Range of Services?

Logistics and Transit

Ask each ITAD company if they would be willing to come to you and provide onsite pickup.

Can they decommission your infrastructure?

Can they provide thorough network discovery?

Are they able to palletize all the equipment themselves?

Do they provide free shipping insurance?

Under what net terms do they typically issue payment?

Data Security

• What are their data erasure capabilities?
• Can they shred drives on-site?
• Can they wipe any and all drives on-site, in the rack or otherwise?
• How long will the erasure process take for each type of drive?

With countless reputable companies falling prey to data security scandals, be very particular when deciding between ITAD companies if you have delicate data on site. Choose one with stringent, standardized data security capabilities and protocols.

If a company can’t wipe your drives on-site, can they issue you comprehensive chain of custody documentation and a certificate of destruction afterward?

Can their erasure equipment accurately handle new generation SATA drives with different back planes and all kinds of flash storage?

Will You Get a Fair and Honest Quote?

In some cases, ITAD companies will charge you much more than the value of the equipment they’re pulling out.

In other cases, they could lowball you.

Finally, if your equipment is worthless and removing it requires intensive labor, you may be charged excessively for their services. 

If your equipment is valuable, there is no reason that value should not be returned to you fairly.

In the ITAD space it is not unheard of for companies to overextend themselves for profit and then cause you delays.

Don’t settle for ITAD companies that don’t put you first.

Here is a list of some of the recyclers you may want to consider.

Some specialize in different types of material, and they vary in size, scope, and what projects they would handle.

Abington Reldan Metals

All Green Recycling

Avnet

Comprenew

ECS Refining

e-Cycle LLC

ECOvanta LLC

EcycleTek/TekR2

Electronics Recyclers International (US)

Global Environmental Services, LLC

Gopher Resource

JVS Environmental 

MRC Recycling

Raki Electronics Recycling

Retire PC

Surplus Recycling Solutions

SEAM: Secure Enterprise Asset Management

SIMS Metal Management

TechWaste Recycling

Tes-AMM

Do You Want a Company That Puts You First?

We would love to help you with any migration, recycling, resale, or decommissioning project that you have.

Are you combing through ITAD companies to try and find vendors to handle all your needs? Do you want to ensure that 3rd party help adheres to your security, compliance, and governance protocols?

Let us be your one stop shop:

Contact your dedicated ITAD specialist today; find out how we handle your hard projects so you can rest easy.

Have something to add? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!