All businesses need to use some sort of technology to keep their operations moving forward. Yet, it’s often difficult to gauge how new solutions will function with your current systems. You need to take your options into careful consideration before making such an important choice, and only an analysis of your current setup will help you ensure the success of your new technology.
Here are a few concepts that technology-acquiring decision makers should consider: functionality, interoperability, and flexibility.
Interoperability and Functionality
It’s essential that your technology solutions play well with others, but this is something that may be difficult to judge–especially if you’re not in the business of managing technology. Often times, running your business falls second while you’re stuck dealing with technology responsibilities that no one else can handle. If this happens, you probably don’t have the time needed to properly research a solution and may just implement it without a second thought. This is a dangerous practice and it could have unexpected effects on your current infrastructure setup, including access to mission-critical data and downtime.
You can never be too careful, and it always helps if you have professional technicians ready and willing to help you identify a good choice for your IT infrastructure. Only someone with the necessary knowledge of the latest technology should be making the decision to implement new hardware and software solutions. Otherwise, it is possible that your exciting new solution could become a hindrance.
Scalable, Flexible Solutions
Cloud computing and communications solutions are designed to offer organizations the flexibility they need to stay competitive and agile. Businesses using scalable solutions can tailor their services to meet their specific needs. Compared to costly, expensive service bundles, this flexibility is much desired. Think of it like the “cord cutting” phenomenon which cable television is experiencing today. Users don’t want to invest in costly cable bills when they can get all sorts of content to view through online services like Netflix and Hulu Plus. Think of it like paying for 100 channels and only watching three of them.
Some of the many IT solutions that are both flexible and scalable to meet your needs include:
Cloud services
Virtual helpdesk and support
VoIP telephony
Hosted email
Productivity suites and software as a service
This type of flexibility is something that’s built into our brand of managed IT services. We want our clients to feel that our solutions are specific to what they need. This assures business owners that the solutions they implement won’t be outdated in the near future, and can be adjusted to accommodate growth.
Another important topic to touch on is how difficult it can be to implement technology solutions when you’re not entirely sure what you need in the first place. An IT roadmap can help your business get the most out of its technology, taking into account where you want your organization to be over the next few years.
Exact IT Consulting’s comprehensive suite of proactive and innovative technology solutions can help you make strategic, long-term IT decisions.
