The Importance of an IT Strategy
SME Businesses in the UK are welcoming new technology to make hybrid working possible.
According to a recent Microsoft survey of UK companies, most have adopted cloud and teleconferencing technology.
At the same time, around a third of respondents stated that they had a single preferred supplier for their IT needs. That means two-thirds do not have an IT partner to turn to and many haven’t got an IT strategy in place.
Why is having an overall strategy important? Decisions regarding investing in IT can be made on the hoof, responding to a particular situation or problem. This can often lead to businesses having gaps in their IT service provision. Have you had an experience where the software guy has claimed it’s a hardware issue and vice versa?
As you plan your IT strategy, consider these:
Does your IT Strategy match your business goals? As you plan for growth in your business do you also factor in the potential impact of your current IT infrastructure?
Not having an IT strategy could mean you become a victim of your own success with avoidable operational bottlenecks potentially hampering you from achieving your goals.
Know the lifespan of your technology. This way you can plan in change and budget for it. This can avoid making hurried decisions and can help with tax planning.
Review and plan your IT strategy as often as you review and plan your business plans.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current IT system. Have you carried out a SWOT analysis on your IT recently?
Reviewing your existing IT infrastructure will enable you to identify problems and analyse what is working and where resources can be allocated to improve effectiveness.
Talk to your team. Regular communication with your team is essential as you keep your IT strategy relevant and useful.
Are there gripes that they have that could be addressed?
Find out how many calls are going into to helpdesks and what are the nature of the issues. What’s the average wait time on helpdesks? Do issues get resolved?
Is anyone tasked with researching the market to determine if there is technology available to automate processes and improve communication internally and externally?
