Writing strategies for a business can be fun, exciting, and full of wonderful opportunities.
The problem is that some strategies are rather dull – if you’re not into whatever the ‘thing’ is. Take IT, for instance; unless you’re a professional in that field or have an interest in tech, it’s probably the last strategy on your list.
Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most important. Therefore, if you don’t have an IT strategy, here’s why you need one and what you need to do to kick it off.
The bottom line: it’ll make your business run smoothly
IT strategies are often misunderstood. It’s easy to think of them as nothing more than a list of the devices you need, complete with a bunch of rules, procedures, and cybersecurity details.
A great IT strategy goes far deeper than that. It links your business goals and wider strategies to every piece of technology you need to meet those goals.
As a result, the right IT strategy for your business will help you run a lean, efficient, profitable operation.
Working out what you need
This is the hard bit, but it’s something you’ll only have to do comprehensively once (after your strategy is written, it’s simply a case of keeping abreast of the latest developments and software updates).
There are the obvious aspects – you’ll need devices of some sort, whether that be laptops, desktop computers, or tablet-based alternatives.
Then there are wider questions about the type of network you need. To go in-house or entirely cloud-based? Where are files stored? What apps are required, and how are they accessed?
Oh, and what about cybersecurity?
As you’d guess, this is where you really will need some help, and it certainly pays to call in the services of an experienced IT firm to lend a hand.
Linking IT to your future plans
As noted earlier, your IT strategy should be directly linked to the business’s goals.
That means sussing out how your IT can help your business reach its revenue targets and growth projections. But it goes deeper than that.
How will the technology you use help you reach the most relevant audience for your products and services? How will it help you explore new markets in the future and ensure you can service clients with ease?
All of these thoughts need to go directly into your IT strategy.
The growth mindset
While it’s important for your IT strategy to link directly with the intended growth of the company, this does bring with it some challenges.
As your business grows and its reliance on technology increases, so too will the threats it faces. The wider your network and the more devices attached to it, the more chances there are of nefarious types attempting to spoil the party.
This is particularly the case now with remote working. As your business grows, it’s almost certain that you’ll have employees and external contractors working from home, coffee shops, and in the MOT waiting room. Your IT strategy therefore needs to account for all of those scenarios.
Managing everything (help is available!)
Once you’ve written the first draft of your IT strategy, you’ll have one question.
How on earth are you going to manage all of this stuff? More importantly, who is going to manage it all?
Fair point. But that’s why companies like Compex IT exist; we’re here to not only help you put your IT strategy in place, we can ensure it’s the right strategy, too. So, to find out more, just get in touch with the friendly Compex IT team, today.