Developing new processes or installing new technologies takes a considerable amount of time and resources. But far too often, most companies aren’t sufficiently thorough in defining the problems they’re attempting to solve and justifying why those issues are important.
Without meticulous planning and expert insight, organizations tend to fall short of success. They may end up missing business opportunities and wasting resources that could have been better spent on more innovative solutions. For instance, many argue that Blockbuster shut down because they were unprepared for the more accommodating digital market and failed to innovate beyond a simple video rental store.
The same is true for businesses working with any form of IT. Organizations may find themselves in a similar predicament unless they diligently assess their systems in order to make the right decision about a particular software, installation project or security measure. And the best way for an organization to prepare for any solution is to get an IT assessment from a third party expert.
The advantages of an outside perspective
Many have reservations about hiring a third party to assess their company’s IT infrastructure. After all, you may think that no one knows your business better than you do. But that’s the exact reason an outside opinion is needed. When you’re closely invested in a company or a project, it is difficult to objectively and critically assess what you’re doing right or wrong. It’s also easy to overlook mishaps and incompatible systems, especially when your expertise lies in business management rather than technology.
IT assessments from a managed service provider (MSP) offer a fresh perspective and professional insight about your IT infrastructure. The MSP will be able to discern whether certain services, like VoIP systems, are compatible with your business, and they’ll suggest cost-effective solutions that can boost efficiency and productivity. Essentially, expert IT assessments help simplify the decision-making process.
Assessments are most valuable when you are planning to make major changes in business direction, especially if you have plans for aggressive growth. Simply put, consultants will review your goals and pressure points to ensure that the IT strategy aligns with your business strategies. Instagram, for example, was powered by a single server back in 2010 and quickly became overwhelmed with new users. After Instagram closely examined their needs, they purchased cloud computing services to scale their business. In broader terms, IT assessments can help you understand your IT problems and offer competitive technologies so that you are better equipped to fix them.
Regardless of the technology you are planning to implement, the solution is only feasible if the numbers are solid. IT assessments not only recommend new technologies, but also provide you quantitative justification for deploying them. Using cloud services as an example, an IT assessment can allow you to estimate the ROI of implementing a new technology, which includes the operational benefits to your company and up-front savings in hardware and software licenses. Once a solution has been implemented, regular performance assessments can help determine whether or not your IT solutions was worth the investment.
With cost-benefit analyses from MSPs, you ultimately reduce IT costs by making informed future investment decisions rather than haphazardly installing systems that have no place in your company. In some cases, technologies incompatible with your current infrastructure may even be detrimental to your business. This is apparent when companies assume that expensive hardware can solve workload problems, when in reality, hosted solutions are much more affordable alternatives.
Effectively assess risks
IT assessments are particularly useful for analyzing cybersecurity and data vulnerabilities within your company. Nowadays, reports of companies falling victim to cyber breaches are more frequent than ever. This year, a healthcare hacker who stole 10 million patient records is trying to extort providers by telling them their data won’t be sold if they pay a ransom.
Companies that fall victim to cyber breaches usually have outdated network security systems, and no encryption, data backup or disaster recovery plans in place. IT assessments identify holes in your security and give you a clear set of directions to fend off cyber attacks and data loss incidents you would otherwise be liable for.
In reference to liabilities, IT assessments determine the compliance risks that dwell in each part of the organization. In other words, they assess risks that have the greatest chance for legal, financial, or reputational damage, and they allocate strategies to help companies minimize that risk. For instance, personal customer information is a vital part of every organization, and it is usually their ethical and legal obligation to protect it. IT assessments can help you avoid costly legal repercussions and retain customer trust by encouraging you to set up security measures and backup plans to safeguard your data.
In this day and age, deploying the right technology can make a world of difference for organizations. The question now is, where do you even begin? Though you might be adept at using computers, you’ll realize that there are certain intricacies to assessing your IT infrastructure that you just don’t have the time for. The truth of the matter is, your focus should be on growing your business. So while you focus on that, let the team at Onsite Computing do what they do best -- supporting your business.
IT assessments can be tricky, but they don’t have to be. Here at Onsite Computing our team of professional consultants will evaluate every part of your IT systems and suggest the best possible technologies that your company deserves. Call us today to find out how you can improve your business.
