First, let’s get a definition of ITAD, an industry acronym that stands for IT Asset Disposition. When organizations need to update, upgrade, or otherwise get rid of equipment like computers, servers, laptops, or other IT equipment that has become outdated, obsolete, or unusable, they look to companies that specialize in ITAD to assist in the process.

The process is rather more involved than tossing those assets in the dumpster out behind the facility. In practice, ITAD companies may also help their client organizations with data destruction, reusable parts harvesting, as well as repair and reuse of equipment. ITAD companies help increase their clients’ ROI for IT.

Because the process is involved and includes many details, ITAD companies, like Horizon Technology, are particularly well-suited to help companies through all the steps. If your company is considering such a project, here are some questions to consider in choosing an ITAD company.

Does the ITAD company offer full service?

An ITAD company like Horizon can assist you at all stages of the disposition process (from initial planning to final coordination), whether you are decommissioning a data center or undertaking a refresh cycle. Important considerations like reusing, reselling, and recycling are all aspects of what a full service ITAD company can provide to clients. For example, Horizon closely tracks the resale markets, and can ensure that top values are achieved for resold parts.

In addition to offering full service capabilities, you should ensure that the ITAD vendor can devise custom solutions for your specific circumstances. Does the vendor understand what makes your ITAD needs unique? How will the provider accommodate that?

Does the ITAD company have appropriate certifications in place?

Checking the credentials of the ITAD company is an important consideration. It helps provide assurance that the vendor is knowledgeable. In some cases, especially around issues like data sanitization of old hard drives, you may be responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance. Here are just a few of the certifications that you should look for in a vendor:

ADISA certification for data sanitization

ADISA is the Asset Disposal & Information Security Alliance. ADISA conducts audits of companies that wish to become a part of the alliance, and supports companies seeking to achieve best-in-class control around data sanitization.

NIST SP 800-88 compliance

NIST is the US National Institute for Standards and Technology. NIST 800-88 provides rigorous and comprehensive guidance for companies and U.S. government entities to ensure they are following best practices for data destruction.

R2 (Responsible Recycling)

R2 is the recycling standard administered by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI). It works to ensure that recycling is done responsibly, and provides a rigorous process to ensure that companies adhere to the standard.

Is the vendor effective on asset recovery?

Clients should ensure that the vendor has a track record in returning value to the customer. Check out the vendor’s results for other clients. Horizon has a long track record and deep knowledge about supply chain management and the market value of disposed assets. Horizon clients recoup up to $1 million in annualized revenue through asset recovery and trusted remarketing.

Has the vendor demonstrated expertise?

Expertise comes in many forms. The rise of data centers and the increasing value of data-focused assets mean that disposition is no longer a ‘throw-away’, and that expertise is highly valuable. How many ITAD projects has the vendor completed? Horizon was established in 1996, and has a well-developed track record of helping its clients maximize value and effectively reuse, remarket, and dispose of assets.

Does the vendor offer rigor in their processes?

The top ITAD providers don’t just market themselves effectively, they also have the underlying workflows and compliance checks in place to ensure work gets completed according to plan. Listening to a client’s specific needs, and understanding the compliance and regulatory requirements for disposition and data destruction within the specific industry vertical are all important considerations. Horizon prides itself on operational excellence and is rigorous around process.