Typical Scenario for SMBs
Information technology systems are often viewed in two very different ways. In the first camp are those who view their technology resources as an asset, a means to enhance their ability to service their customers and lead to to improved profitability. Or there are those who see their technology resources as a necessary evil, an expense to the bottom line to be avoided if possible. Regardless of the view, in modern companies and organizations, most aspects of the business rely on technology.
A couple of key questions to ask are, "How much value is the business getting from their IT investments?” and "Are the IT investments aligning with business objectives?" In order to began analyzing these question, let's review the following "hierarchy of IT needs."
- The bottom section of our pyrimid we're going to label as the foundation. The foundation includes all of the components required including the infrastructure, hardware, operating systems, desktops, laptops, hand-held devices, applications, printes, and all of the devlces one buys.
- Moving up the pyrimid is the next layer: support. Once you have all the hardware, software, and other components support is required to keep the foundation is working order, secure, and managed.
- The third layer is productivity: using resources twords maximizing employee productivity, increasing efficiency through automation, and reducing errors and problems.
- And, most important but often neglected is the top layer, strategy. Strategy includes activities such as ensuring technology aligns with business goals, measuring return on investment, protecting business assets through disaster recovery planning,, and understanding how industry trends will affect the business.
Unforunately, most SMBs fall into the churn of foundation and support. Resources are expended only in the first two levels and are typically always reactive. Too often businesses are sold more products to address problems that either continue to be unresolved or are temporarily disguised because the root of the issues are never uncovered. Technical resources are often too busy spending time on day-to-day tasks, lack the knowledge to bring efficiencies and automation to the table, or want to ensure their continued viability. By ensuring the right solutions are put in place and automating, streamlining, self-remediating support tasks in a proactive manner, a shirt in resources toward productivity and strategy can greatly increased the effectiveness of IT expecditures. A wholeistic approvach can be achieved as demonstrated in the diagram below.
Our goal is to help our clients achieve greater value from their IT resources by spending money in areas where it will generate productivity and efficiency. The ideal situation, if we refer back to our IT hierarchy model, would look like this slide. The churn is eliminated and the cycle includes all four levels using proactive, strategic methods to realize a better return on investment.
So how might that be achieved? Contact Micro Visions to setup a meeting to discuss your situation.
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