Why IT Matters to Your Small Business
A growing business often needs a different level of IT support. But unless you’re paying close attention to your technology, this matter can sneak up on you. And if it does, the resulting inefficiency, loss of productivity, or lapses in cybersecurity can cost a lot of money.
Growing Pains
One day, I was walking with one of my clients through his 12,000-square-feet manufacturing plant. The floor was spotless, and everyone seemed to be working diligently at their tasks. Suddenly, I noticed something that should not be there.
“Well, look at that,” I said, pointing to a computer workstation. “That computer is running Windows 3.”
“Wow! I didn’t know that was there,” he replied.
As we continued our tour, I noticed that roughly 40 computers on the floor were running different versions of Windows and MS Office.
Later, I asked my client whether he had noticed any problems with his employees communicating or sharing files with one another. He responded that he’d received some complaints from employees who couldn’t collaborate on files or who had trouble keeping track of email threads.
No wonder! Not only were his employees enduring unnecessary communication glitches, but they were also at considerable risk for various kinds of cyberattacks.
What happened here? Things got to this state for my client because, as the company grew over time, he had added hardware and software piecemeal without having an integrated plan. Ultimately, his IT infrastructure became outdated and fragmented.
Poor Communication
Moreover, when operating systems and software applications become outdated, as with my client, poor communication among staff becomes rampant and frustrating.
As a result, people lose or can’t read messages. Maintaining communication threads becomes sketchy. Further, collaborating or project schedules or drafting documents becomes nearly impossible. Such lapses cause declining productivity and employee morale.
Declining Client Experience
Poor internal communication often results in declining client experience. Consequently, things take longer to complete. Ultimately, providing timely service and product delivery to clients nosedives.
Due to fouled internal communications, it takes longer to get things done. Mistakes happen. Clients begin to doubt that you can fulfill their expectations. Your reputation for reliability suffers.
Overwhelmed IT Resources
Under these circumstances, your internal IT staff may feel overwhelmed just keeping things running. Perhaps they are focused on supporting sales and marketing operations and, therefore, have no time to update your network.
In that scenario, you should consider retaining an external managed service provider. As your company grows, your technology must grow with it, and that growth must be strategically managed to stay up to date.
Now IT Works assists small business manage their growth strategically. Contact us to get the growing business IT support that you need.
Scale Your IT with Your Business’s Growth. Set up a FREE consultation today.