Don’t make these IT mistakes as you grow!
When offering advice and guidance to small businesses for managing their IT, we often encounter customers who are dissatisfied with the results of their IT investments. They seek our help to turn the situation around, and when we investigate the cause of their IT disappointment, we discover certain common patterns.
Not prioritizing IT
Small and medium-sized businesses often overlook the importance of allocating resources towards IT when trying to expand their companies. IT is typically seen as a drain on funds, so investments in it are often made grudgingly and not given priority. This is a major oversight which could be detrimental to business growth.
Going for the fastest, latest or even the ‘best’ technology–which may not be the best for you
Contrary to the first point, many small and medium-sized businesses understand that technology plays an important role in their success, but they may get overly enthusiastic about the newest tech trends, not taking into account if these are necessary for their business or simply to outdo their competitors. It is not necessary to purchase the most up-to-date computers or hard drives if the additional performance boosts are minimal.
Your team is not with you
When you bring in new technology or even new IT policies, it is your team that needs to work on it on a daily basis. If your staff is not on the same page with you, your IT investment is unlikely to succeed. So, before you make that transition from local desktops to the cloud, or from Windows to iOS or roll out that new BYOD policy, make sure you have your staff on your side.
You are not sure how to put it to good use
The allure of the latest tech can be comparable to the excitement of a new toy. It is common to purchase a popular product and not use it to its full potential. Making sure you get the most out of your IT investments by giving your employees the right training is key.
Managing IT can be difficult to learn when attempting to do it independently. The cost of doing so within the company can be high and it is a complex process to figure out which IT investments will be the most beneficial for your team and then providing the necessary instruction to use them. All of this can be quite intimidating when attempting to do it alone.
A Managed IT Service Provider has the experience and expertise needed to be your trusted partner and guide in these challenges, helping you make the most of your IT investment.
For larger organizations a Managed IT Service Provider can also help with technology staff augmentation.
Managing an internal technology support staff can be challenging when faced with turnover or staff absences. When you partner with a Managed IT Service Provider you now have a team of people to lean on to fill any gaps and your employees won’t feel a difference. And they are your most valuable asset to invest in.
