align the right technologyIt’s month two of 2019 and no surprise, we’ve been inundated with information about the importance of goal-setting and strategic planning. Depending on how the previous year went, the new year can leave us excited or, in many cases, overwhelmed.

We’ve all heard the quote, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” When it comes to planning change initiatives for your business, whether it’s a big move, creating a new role, or implementing new software, it’s important to sit down and plan out the details, creating a goal rather than just a wish. However, while the thoughtful preparation seems detailed and inclusive, we often see one major missing puzzle piece in many business’ strategic goal setting.

The Missing Puzzle Piece: IT Infrastructure

The days of working in an office full of beige, plastic-covered PCs that play a little tune when you log on are long gone. The same goes for businesses that create strategic goals without putting the right technology in place. Businesses need to make sure they have the correct IT infrastructure in place to accomplish their goals for the year. So, what is IT infrastructure?

IT infrastructure is the basic hardware, software, networks and facilities required for the existence, operation and management of an IT environment. In simple words, it’s the foundation that supports your business. This could look like having the most up-to-date security functions and features so that your growing company doesn’t lose any information in the midst of an important project and completely derail productivity. It could also look like anything from server racks to Office 365.

Upgrading your infrastructure and having the right technology in place is critical to achieving your strategic goals. You wouldn’t compete in a highly competitive bike race without upgrading your bike, would you? So why would you build your business on the backs of aging hardware and outdated software?

The problem is that people don’t like change. Change comes with the fears of interruption to normal processes or potential problems that may arise. Maybe you really like your old bike, you know exactly how to fix it when it breaks, the gears are easy to shift, and the seat is perfectly molded to fit you. However, you risk the chance of not reaching your goal of winning the race if you don’t keep your bike in good working order. The same goes for today’s fast-paced technology environment. If you resist the power of innovation and progress, it’s likely you will get buried by the competition.

Strategic Goal Setting Scenarios

In our 30 years of experience helping West Michigan businesses align their technology with their business goals, we’ve seen numerous scenarios. Here are three examples of goals where having the right infrastructure in place is imperative:

  • Implementing a new line-of-business application
  • Business Growth in general
  • Moving to a new office or facility

For a business with a goal of moving to a new facility, it’s more than packing a bunch of boxes and moving everyone out. It’s having the right solutions in place, a realistic budget and a clear timeline. In this scenario, a phased approach works best. We keep our client’s existing site up and going while the move is in progress. We may also look at the potential of moving our client’s server to the cloud rather than keeping it on site. We test the scenario against your business’ needs and put a road map in place. There are so many details behind each of the goals you have, that it would be a mistake not to have a trusted IT provider by your side from beginning to end.

Having the consistency of an experienced professional working right alongside you, who fully understands the situation and has the ability to move your business in the right direction, is the key ingredient to successful strategic planning.

Micro Visions is Your Missing Puzzle Piece

Are you ready to move your wish list over to your goals-achieved list?

Whether you want to upgrade your systems, move to the cloud, implement secure backups or strategically plan your IT, we’re here to help. Upgrade your IT managed service experience by partnering with us for all your technology needs. Contact us today online or at 616.776.0400.