Thriving in today’s commercial world is heavily underpinned by being able to harness technology to deliver more value while achieving greater efficiency. By implementing the most modern and valuable solutions in the market, businesses can sharpen their competitive edge.
However, it can be hard to know how to identify, assess and implement the right technology solutions for your business. With a technology roadmap, your business can start to plan how it will achieve more growth with greater efficiency. In this piece, we are going to take the role of profit-prophets and guide you through some key qualities to look out for in the most promising modern technologies today.
Adaptability/Scalability
Cloud computing is at the heart of a range of modern solutions today that can enable businesses to scale quickly and profitably. These solutions include Software as a Service (SaaS), where internet-hosted software is used online. SaaS solutions often come with intelligent AI-driven features that save time and add value, while also having other attributes such as live collaboration and live data backup capabilities. Alongside the ability to add users to SaaS accounts, with a subscription-based model, you can predict your IT spend easily with these services.
Cloud computing also includes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), which is where data and applications are ran virtually off-premise in dedicated data-warehouses that can scale their services to your usage. This can be done quickly and saves a business the time and costs associated with upgrading and maintaining hardware on-site. IaaS is also more precise with pricing models that enable a business to pay for what they use.
Elsewhere, VoIP telephony is an internet enabled version of telephone services which can be used from any internet connected smart device. This also eliminates much of the costs and time of managing the physical infrastructure needed for running telephone services such as customer service functions in a business. Like SaaS, adding users and managing phone lines can be done at the click of a button.
In all, the adaptability and scalability that modern cloud computing solutions offers, can be a game-changer that enhances efficiency, streamlines workflows, and improves communication and collaboration in a very cost-effective way. Cloud computing is driving the rise in scalability and adaptability of technology today, and is certainly worth considering as a solution in your business.
Remote capabilities
Remote capabilities essentially enable work to be completed from anywhere, on any smart device. Thanks to remote working capabilities, many businesses have been able to reduce hardware costs, downscale their office space costs, and simplify their IT management without losing their ability to operate efficiently and securely.
Technology with remote-friendly capabilities can enhance value while reducing costs in a range of ways. Remote capable solutions include the Microsoft 365, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that enable secure access to your network on a private connection, as well as cloud storage software and project management tools among many others.
Little to no physical infrastructure needed
Businesses are increasingly operating unbounded by physical constraints, which is another key technological trend that is continuing today. Modern solutions offer the qualities of simplicity, scalability and agility to businesses that are ready to leverage them. For example, it is now possible to run an IT environment without any on-premise servers!
A key benefit for businesses is that modern technology allows them to effectively outsource the time and financial costs of managing and maintaining a physical IT infrastructure to another provider. With a provider that specializes in doing this for them, they can focus on what they do best.
Automation
Cloud services are increasingly offering tools that allow businesses to automate a range of time-consuming tasks in a range of fields. This includes tasks within accounting and payroll, creative design, marketing, and recruitment amongst many others. There are also software solutions such as Business Process Automation (BPA) tools that are dedicated to finding automation opportunities within business workflows.
With automation, you can save your team’s time from completing more manual kinds of work, enabling them to focus on higher value activities that drive excellent customer results and growth for your business.
Integration and Interoperability
Many modern technology solutions are increasingly able to ‘talk’ to each other and operate in harmony. Many SaaS solutions in particular offer this functionality, and there are SaaS solutions such as Zapier, which are dedicated to integrating apps as their key purpose. Integrating apps together enables businesses to streamline and add enhanced value into their workflows, and even to deliver new services that drive growth and revenue. With modern technology solutions, businesses can bring their parts together into a wider whole that drives exponential value.
Cybersecurity
Cyber threats are growing in their number and sophistication as the world continues to become more digitalized. As cyber threats grow, there are also growing compliance requirements to protect data from prying eyes. With outdated legacy systems and technologies ensuring cybersecurity from modern threats, will become more difficult. The latest hardware and software are better placed to protect from these threats. One key benefit of SaaS solutions and cloud computing is that businesses get to enjoy regular security updates and patches on their behalf from these vendors, helping them to remain secure.
Relying on vendors alone is not enough, but thankfully there are also specific cybersecurity tools on the market such as threat detection and prevention systems that intelligently use AI to identify, prevent and thwart cyber threats before they can cause harm.
Security
Cyber threats are increasing exponentially in their number and sophistication. As the world digitizes, so will commercial criminality. Alongside this, there are more digital compliance requirements that businesses face, most notably the GDPR.
The GDPR requires any data processors, such as cloud service providers, to have effective security in place to ensure that the personal data they are storing is secure. Aside from potentially hefty fines for violating GDPR, neglecting cybersecurity poses significant financial and reputational risks. Did you know that Around 60% of SMEs go out of business within 6-months of suffering a cyber-attack?
Ensure that new technology solutions you are considering have robust cybersecurity features, including anomaly monitoring, encryption, and multi-factor authentication features to provide a comprehensive set of measures against any cyber threats.
We help San Francisco businesses leverage technology for maximum reward
At Centarus, we specialize in tailoring our services to cater to the unique requirements of businesses in San Francisco and the broader Bay Area. Whether your business operates within the city limits or spans multiple locations across the Bay Area or even reaches across the nation or around the world, Centarus is your trusted partner for implementing the ideal IT solutions.
Our expertise is designed to help you cut costs, optimize your workflows, and enhance productivity. Our team of professionals is dedicated to ensuring that your IT environment in San Francisco and the Bay Area is not only highly secure today but also well-prepared for a secure future. Get in touch today; we’re here to support your IT needs.
