Futureproofing Business IT – Tips for Staying Ahead on the Tech Curve
The pace and evolution of technology never slows down, which means that businesses are constantly getting access to new solutions and the opportunities that come with them. However, this isn’t without its challenges, and businesses have to constantly strategize on how to leverage the best possible technology for maximum benefit without overextending or letting a competitor gain a critical advantage. Here are some tips from our IT team on how to stay ahead of the tech curve the right way.
#1 – Review current systems regularly
When it comes to technology, you don’t want to take the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. Outdated and inefficient solutions can cause your business to fall behind competitors, and when it does break down, the consequences can be devastating. At the same time, you don’t want to get into the habit of replacing systems with cutting-edge technology every time an upgrade is released. By having IT specialists who understand your business regularly review your tech, you can position your businesses more efficiently, ensuring that the systems you depend on are serving your business needs and developing strategic upgrade plans to keep them within reasonable margins of the latest technologies.
#2 – Stay current
An important part of having an IT partner is their ability to keep you up to date with new and improved features as well as business IT best practices. Their job is to help you get the most use out of the technologies you have and help you implement these solutions as effectively as possible in your business. Webinars, virtual conferences, and podcasts are a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of business IT and what’s happening in the industry. Your business IT partner should be able to break down high-tech talk to show you what is relevant to your business and industry, the impact of different tech trends, and translate these into solutions that are customised for your business needs.
#3 – Listen to your staff
Your employees are working with these systems every day to fulfil their role, so they’ll have a better idea of what is working and what needs to change than almost anyone else. Younger staff members are also usually very tech-savvy and have a great enthusiasm and understanding of the role of technology in business. By listening to your employees, you can refine your IT solutions and even develop new ways of using your tech to your advantage, shaping the competitive landscape of your industry.
#4 – Invest in training
No matter how powerful, innovative, or brilliant a technology is, it’s never going to work unless your team knows exactly how to use it. Staff training is an often-overlooked side of business IT, but it’s this training that makes your solutions work and keeps your data and systems secure. Your IT partner should be able to train your employees up in all areas of IT deployment, from understanding and implementing IT policies and preventing data breaches to fully utilising the applications and systems your business has invested in.
As a people-first managed IT solutions partner, Otto IT is invested in keeping your business ahead of the tech curve. We’ll help you find the tech you need to work better and more securely, to get your message out there, and reach your peak performance – without overinvesting. Chat to our team today about tech solutions that really work.
Milan is the CEO at Otto – where his focus is changing IT up. Milan is highly focused and skilled in Storage, IT Service Management, IT Strategy, Professional Services, and Servers.
