There is no mistake, no typo, in that headline. According to a new IDC white paper [PDF], SMBs that deploy Windows 7 can expect a return-on-investment (ROI) of 375 percent.

That's the big takeaway from the Windows for Your Business Blog's report on the study, which showed "positive changes" in every area measured.

Here's the really juicy part:

Researchers found the payback to companies started just after seven months and a return on investment of 375 percent. It showed that each user saves an average of about 43 hours, or $1,400 total benefit per PC, annually.

Dang! At the risk of sounding like a Microsoft shill, how can you afford not to upgrade?! Seriously, whether you deploy new PCs to your users (always my recommendation) or upgrade existing hardware, there's now substantial evidence that your ROI will be, well, substantial.

And although the study focused exclusively on SMBs (companies with 250 or fewer PCs), it stands to reason that enterprises would experience similar results. Here's another telling excerpt, this time directly from the report:

IT professionals can reduce their support burden with Windows 7. When comparing Windows 7 with the previously used operating system (typically Windows XP, but in some cases, Windows Vista), our research indicates that service desk labor drops by a dramatic 65%, from 5.3 hours per PC per year to 1.9 hours per PC per year. Similarly, PC/OS support costs declines by 55%, from 4.8 hours per PC per year to 2.2 hours per PC per year.

Again: dang! Almost makes me wish we could upgrade again!