The IT industry is constantly in a race to keep up with the evolution of technology. Meaning chances are there is always a better way to do things, and in the world of business, you have to make sure you are matching the pace. All you have to do is to look and all the changes t the business world over the last two years to appreciate just how rapid this growth is.
There are a few question to ask yourself when looking at your business and its strategies. For example, can you guarantee that your business is keeping up with the rate of change? Do you have the appropriate systems in place to ensure your employees are working as efficiently as they can and have the equipment to match? Is there something that your competitors are doing that allows them to dominate the industry?
There is no simple solution to a business. No one-size-fits-all fix that works every single time, otherwise what would be the point of competition in the market? However, one of the biggest crutches to lean on rests on your IT strategy. To remain competitive, a great IT strategy is crucial because it ensures versatility for the future.
If you are unsure if your business is lacking a competitive edge, or think it could perform better, there are some red flags that can help indicate that you may need a new IT strategy, such as:
It is not scalable.
As the world tunnels deeper into the digital world, the demand for scalability increases. Many businesses want to make sure that whether they are upsizing or downsizing, that they can do so as seamlessly as possible. The technology you are investing in should be future-proof, but your IT strategy should also follow suit. Whether that means in increased interest in BYOD, VoIP phones or software, your business needs to be able to adapt accordingly. Growth is natural in business and is a desirable problem to deal with, however, this means there will always be demand for dynamic and scalable technology. This demand should be discussed and looked into with a 3 to 5-year scope, to ensure your business can cope with whatever changes it may face in the future.
2. The cost of the current strategy is no longer cost-effective.
It can be difficult to weigh up what generates the most value for you and include it in your current budget. Whether it is unexpected business costs or you are paying for expensive services that aren’t meeting the value, it may be time to take a look back and reassess your current IT strategy.
3. Your IT doesn’t keep up with the current industry security standards.
We have said it time and time again, but confidential business or user data is critical to a business. Without a strong IT security plan in place, your business is extremely vulnerable to attacks, unwanted end-point access and security breaches such as data leaks. Security threats have become more sophisticated and complex in recent years, posing much higher risks to businesses. Although awareness is growing, your business must have the right plans in place to cope. The cost of recovering your data is expensive and can be extremely time-consuming. Other external factors are building up potentially lost reputation and trust from your clients and employees. The risk heavily outweighs the cost of setting up a comprehensive cyber-security service.
4. It doesn’t do what you need it to.
The purpose of an IT strategy is to optimise your business in whatever shape or form it takes. It has to be always changing but at the same time, it has to remain consistent. It helps you improve your business. More importantly, it has to meet the user’s expectations. Whether it’s your employees or your clients, or simply reducing cost and increasing efficiency, at the end of the day business thrives off generating the best ROI, and this can be achieved with the assistance of a faster processor or network, or cheaper storage alternatives.
5. It no longer matches your overall business strategy.
Business is constantly changing, there is no telling just what might happen years from now. What once started as a small one-person business can quickly turn into an empire, and you don’t have to look far to see it. Just look at Amazon, Facebook, or even Snapchat. When your overall business strategy and its projects evolve, your IT requirements evolve with them. If your current IT strategy isn’t quite up to the task, or your infrastructure is lacking a certain gusto, then developing a new IT strategy that encapsulates your current and projected needs might be the next step for your business.
Having a powerful and cohesive IT strategy is essential in today’s vastly digital and fast-paced business world. Without a good IT strategy in place, your business may be crippled under the weight of trying to keep pace without the proper equipment or software to do so.
If you feel that you need to reassess your current IT strategy, or want some advice about what the next steps are regarding it, call the team at ACS. We want to ensure that your businesses IT is appropriately catered to, and are happy to help with whatever needs they may be.