Mistakes to Avoid When Adopting New Technology Solutions
If the last few years have proven anything, it’s that in order for businesses to survive, it’s critical that they are able to transition and migrate data quickly as well as adopt the necessary technology solutions. Companies that had no way to support remote employees migrated to the cloud and quickly discovered the significance of their IT investment.
Technology controls a lot— from how businesses operate and how employees and customers engage with each other, to how companies manage data. Technology solutions change and improve to make processes more automated: to make tasks easier and results quicker, and to help keep data more secure. Keeping technology current provides significant returns for both small and large businesses. A Deloitte report claims that companies who have adopted more advanced digital processes are 2-3 times more likely to experience revenue growth. Of course, investing in technology can take a large chunk out of your budget. Gartner forecasts that worldwide IT spending will total $4.1 trillion in 2021. With that in mind, it’s important to know what to focus on and what to avoid when evaluating technology adoption.
Here are 6 mistakes to avoid when investing in IT.
Not spending to save a little
As we’ve already mentioned, technology can be a significant investment and, when done correctly, can help businesses optimize operations and protect critical data. Then there’s the flip side. When business owners cut corners to try to save a dollar it may end up costing more over time. Why? or Rushing data migrations, failing to properly research new products or forgoing training on how to use these new products or services risks employee errors, unauthorized access to business systems, broken connections and potentially dangerous knowledge gaps Trying to save a dollar may end up costing you more in the future.
Buying software without upgrading hardware
Many business owners view upgrading hardware as an added expense that’s not always necessary. A common attitude is “If the equipment works, why fix it?” However, there are legitimate reasons for upgrading hardware even if it’s still working.
Keep in mind, there’s a lifespan on hardware. The lifecycle of servers and PCs is typically three to five t years, but it also depends on how often they are used. Hardware will fail. And when it fails, essential data may be lost.
Another important reason to update hardware is to maintain business system security. Even if you’ve maintained your existing software with the necessary patches, or perhaps have even upgraded to new software, your data may still be at risk if the hardware itself is too old.
Not properly training employees
Purchasing new business systems and technology solutions without training employees is a waste of money. So is bringing on new employees without thoroughly training them on existing business systems. The goal of new technology solutions may be to improve security, increase productivity, or improve customer service, but that’s just the beginning. To achieve desired results, employees and teams will have to know how to use the technology. With proper training, employees will be more willing to use new technology, which means faster adoption and a better return on your investment.
Not having a structured technology and evaluation plan
Not having a technology and evaluation plan creates gaps that could be disastrous. Business owners don’t operate their company without a business plan, so why would they use technology without a technology and evaluation plan?
Creating or reviewing a technology plan each year will help evaluate the technology solutions already being used and define annual goals. Developing a plan will identify end users and evaluate current technology in conjunction with current trends and integration requirements for the upcoming year.
Not requesting help from technology experts
Sometimes a little help goes a long way. There have been significant advances in technology and cloud services over the past several years and much of it is complex. Attempting to navigate these complicated systems without a knowledgeable and skilled IT team could be a recipe for disaster. By utilizing the expertise of an IT managed services team companies are provided with much-needed personnel while simultaneously reducing operational costs and saving money which would have been spent otherwise to course correct. Technical experts can assist with business system evaluations, cloud migrations, security audits, developing technology plans, as well as monitoring, software updates, and day-to-day business system activities.
Not utilizing cloud computing effectively
More and more businesses are migrating to cloud computing. However, many small and medium-sized companies haven’t transitioned because they don’t understand the benefits or lack skilled IT personnel. Cloud computing allows data to be easily accessible to employees, customers, and other authorized users and, in some cases, is less expensive than on-premise solutions. If you have questions about cloud computing, talk to your Cloud Services provider to get more information about how cloud solutions can help your business.