In the previous article we looked at the problems posed by traditional IT support and how it rarely meets the needs of modern businesses.
Traditional support is usually reactive – this support comes from a very capable team of tech minded individuals that are on hand if there is a problem. Unfortunately, their once fine approach is far too static for modern times, because it now needs to be more dynamic to keep up with the fast pace, high demand environment of the modern workplace.
When your IT support just consists of fixing problems, no consideration is being made for the organization’s future plans, the practice does not use tech to help enforce the company ethos you want to operate under, or promote forward thinking with the use of new tools that have the power to boost the success of your business overnight if implemented and managed correctly. In short, fixing problems is no longer enough.
It is essential that you know how your arrangements work with your IT provider; this means it is easier to highlight which prospective provider offers what they should in order for you to have the most prosperous relationship with both them and technology – in turn guaranteeing the most benefits to your company.
Business minded, not tech minded
A good provider will approach your IT with what is in the best interests of your business individually in mind. They will be able to overcome the barriers you face daily and make your business run efficiently. We will now explore how – with a good understanding of your business alongside a good relationship with technology – this is possible.
Expertize
A good provider will be an expert in their field. They will – at every available opportunity – pass on their expertize to individuals in your organization, allowing them to take the reins of their own technological responsibilities. By keeping your team educated they will be certain to truly get the most from the IT they have at their disposal.
Cost
A good provider will find the most cost-effective method of achieving your goals, whilst simultaneously ensuring you are using the best up-to-date and capable technology available – obviously, if it is extortionately expensive, it needs to be worth it and absolutely the right thing for the job!
Time
The modern world of work runs under strict time parameters – this is the only way to ensure efficiency and success. Implementing the new tech can be a problem, as this can prove to be a difficult task in the busy modern world of work, and it isn’t just implementing the tools that takes time because your team needs to be educated on how to use those tools as well.
The right provider won’t rush this, but will implement the new strategies and tools in stages. By gradual learning, there is no chance of overwhelming your team – you want to be sure they use every tool to its fullest, so it is best they have time to learn all the features in stages.
Forethought
The right provider will always have one eye to the future. However, they can’t look into the future like some seem to expect them to – there are, of course, always going to be some issues that can’t be noticed until they start causing problems. The right provider will take the time to communicate with the different departments in your organization. They will look at everything with a fine-tooth comb, – learning all the way about the bugbears individuals may have with a particular sector or work process. This is not only the best way to find out what really needs improving but it also makes your team feel appreciated – it proves you are considering their concerns primarily, in turn boosting morale and improving efficiency and productivity.
Absorb pressure
Every business owner in the world feels the pressures of running a business. A good provider will take as much of that pressure off your shoulders as possible. You will still be the voice of choice and reason, but the right provider will take practically all the technical strain off your hands, enabling you to feel less pressure and helping you to concentrate on keeping the business the success it is.
Traditional IT support covered the most important parts of your IT systems, when the goal of traditional providers was to ‘keep the lights on’ at any and every cost, and of course we had no problem with that, but ‘had’ is the key word in that sentence. In the modern age that we live in this is simply not enough – we no longer only want to keep the lights on – partially because, thanks to the powers of IT nowadays, this is done automatically and because of the many things made possible with IT.
Your employees are the most important element of your business – and your IT needs to be centred around them. There are other parts of your business that are integral – your customers, schedules and, of course, money being just a few – but your employees are the lifeblood of your organization; without them you stand no chance of survival let alone success! By providing your team with the correct tools – and training on how to use them – they will be able to take care of all your other work worries for you.
Your IT support should guide your business into the future.
A strategy lead approach
Too many providers advertise themselves as ‘proactive’ with ‘an unrivalled service’ and, of course, you believe their claims, because, well, why wouldn’t you? They tell you what you want to hear and it is hard not to be brought in by these statements. Unfortunately, most are lying. They will just sit back and receive your monthly payment with little to no regard to what is happening in your business – their only concern is that the phone doesn’t ring.
Technology makes so much more possible. The ideal provider will collaborate with you, and you will work out a strategy together that best suits the way that you do business. You must keep up with your competition, who are probably already using tech to its full potential and could possibly have a tried and tested strategy in place – so, to compete, you must do the same.
Roadmapping your technological strategy
For those that don’t know, a Roadmap is simply a plan for the future of your IT. Businesses in the past used to only speak to their IT support when an issue occurred, meaning that most don’t even know that a Roadmap is an option. In the modern world it is highly beneficial to have a Roadmap. By creating a plan of action to onboard new technological solutions you can align different sectors of your business – like IT, operations executives, software engineers, and even sales teams – to be sure they are all achieving the most possible with their workday whilst simultaneously working in unison toward the same goal.
Guaranteed compliance
The modern workplace is plagued with regulations and compliance obligations; they are a hinderance to us all but, unfortunately, we have no choice but to abide by them. Traditional reactive IT support posed many risks to your organization’s regulatory compliance – continuing in this way could leave you subject to potentially business defining legal ramifications.
As we have already stated, the right modern IT specialist will ideally be at the least familiar with the sector in which your organization operates and will further learn your business inside and out. They should take their time to discover what is best for your team and the rules and regulations they operate within every day. A good IT support specialist will guarantee that they are up to date with regulation changes and will adapt your tech accordingly to guarantee compliance.
Your team’s experience with IT
Your employees – as we have already stated – are the most important ingredient to your business’ success.
In times recently past, your IT provider’s decisions weren’t considered based around your team’s needs – today this is simply not the case, if you choose the right provider. There is no way your team can get the most from their time at work when the tools that you provide them with are not capable. It is as simple as asking their opinion – they are the best people to ask, as they know what is beneficial to their workday.
IT support from the right provider will enable your team to flourish, remain complaint, and be cost effective with their time – if utilized correctly, tech can guide you into a prosperous future.
Ensuring a secure IT Landscape
We customize our services to meet your specific business needs. Whether you have a single location or multiple operations across the country or around the globe, Centarus will partner with you to implement the right IT solutions to help you reduce costs, streamline your processes and increase productivity. Our team of experts will ensure that you and your team are not only working in the most secure way possible within your IT environment, but also that you are prepared for a secure future too. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
