Still running a Windows XP-based network, backing up your data to tape drives, or using ancient software? Are your sales people still calling into the office for driving directions or contact details? Are your service techs able to generate invoices or collect payments from the field or are they still collecting (and potentially losing) cash and checks?
Technology has evolved dramatically, and it seems as though it’s advancing faster than ever. While it’s not necessary to constantly upgrade with every single operating system version released, keeping your technology current will help your business to be as efficient and competitive as possible.
Why Reorganize your IT Infrastructure or Portions of It?
According to Rich Hein of CIO.com, several reasons may prompt an IT restructure: inefficiency, new leadership, and new technologies.
For example, your IT department may not be as efficient as it could be. Perhaps they’re spending far too much time fighting fires and dealing with crashes caused by an overstrained network. Maybe the network’s defenses are weak, causing problems that would be avoided completely with new technologies in place. Quikteks can support your IT team, lending an extra hand as needed or taking over menial network management tasks so they can focus on more important initiatives.
How does new leadership impact your IT infrastructure? It’s common for new leaders to bring new ideas, policies, and practices with them, each of which could strain the existing IT infrastructure. Before making sweeping changes, it’s smart to find out exactly what the network can handle. Quikteks can help new leaders make informed technology decisions.
As new technologies emerge, they bring both opportunity and risk. New technology changes how you do business. It could make you leaner and more efficient or it could introduce new problems. It may help you become more competitive or it could hamper your ability to push forward. Quikteks helps you understand your options, choose the right solutions for your business, plan for future technology developments, and model your business plans around them.
Depending on how old your business’s technology is, it might be time for a complete IT reorganization. As you can imagine, overhauling your IT infrastructure is a major task. It won’t happen overnight, and it will require an investment. When done strategically, your investment in IT will pay off in terms of increased productivity and efficiency, improved customer satisfaction and employee morale, reduced downtime, and potentially lower costs. Quikteks can help you do the job correctly the first time, helping to make sure your new IT infrastructure doesn’t require costly fixes at a later date.
Tips for Businesses Considering an IT Infrastructure Upgrade
Use the tips below to develop an IT infrastructure upgrade strategy.
– Determine if an IT problem exists — As the saying goes, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Upgrading for the sake of upgrading is an exercise in futility and a waste of money, so carefully examine the problems your team faces. Is your current technology contributing to those problems? Is it hindering them from performing their jobs efficiently? Do new technologies exist that would make a significant impact or give you a competitive advantage?
A little soul searching at this point is necessary to ensure that the decision to reorganize your IT infrastructure is the smart one. In some cases, minor upgrades could make a world of difference. In others, starting over from scratch may make the most sense. Either way, Quikteks can examine your current IT infrastructure in search of weak points and areas that can be optimized for better performance. Our professional IT technicians can help you determine the right approach and recommend the best solutions to your problems.
– Figure out where to start — You have a lot on your plate as it is. Dealing with an IT infrastructure overhaul can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know where to start. Again, Quikteks can help.
For example, the Pareto Principle, or 80-20 rule, suggests that roughly 80 percent of problems come from 20 percent of causes. What if you could fix the small portion of problems causing the bulk of your problems? That would be a great place to start. Our IT experts will work with your in-house IT department to determine where to start and how far to take it based on your current infrastructure, existing challenges, and budget.
– Work with a trusted IT consultant — There’s a world of IT choices out there, and making sense of them isn’t easy. We can help you identify the problems with your business’s IT infrastructure, increasing the likelihood of resolving them and pushing your business forward. We are on your side and committed to helping you identify problems, solve them, and plan for future IT developments.
For more information on what Quikteks can do for your IT infrastructure, give us a call at (973) 882-4644.