The current business environment demands that SMBs adapt to new technologies or run the risk of becoming irrelevant in both the local and the global marketplace. Generally, small and medium-size businesses have a dedicated individual or team handling IT. The individual is responsible for not just managing IT infrastructure and projects, but also for coming up with innovative tech solutions that can help the business thrive. If you are that person, then here’s how you can use technology to help your business thrive!
Owners of small to medium-sized business (SMBs) or the people managing them are some of the hardest working people around. But, working hard does not always pay off. There are times when you need to supplement your hard work with a bit of ‘smart’ work.
Here, smart work refers to investing in and using technology that can help your business thrive. Generally, owners of SMBs or the people managing them are slow to embrace technology. One of them? if yes, then here’s what you need to do to leverage technology for the success of your business.
Build A Tech-Savvy Workforce
If you’re serious about leveraging technology for the success of your business, then, starting today, instill a culture that helps you build a tech-savvy workforce. Get your workforce to think in a positive, modern way before you introduce new technology in the workplace. When you have a tech-savvy workforce, integrating new technology or equipment into the business becomes a whole lot easier. If you want to save yourself the trouble, the look to hire young, dynamic people who are already well-versed in the use of technology.
Hire a Managed Service Provider (MSP)
Owners of SMBs or the people managing these businesses have little time and resources at their disposal. So, having IT infrastructure and systems om-site is nothing but a hassle for them. The good news is that there is an alternative and that alternative is a managed service provider (MSP). While you can still have a dedicated IT person or team, you will free-up a lot of their time for more important tasks than the maintenance of the system by hiring an MSP.
The above does not mean that maintenance of computer system is unimportant, instead it means the system can be automated, saving you a lot of valuable time resources. Once you have an automated system in place, an MSP will monitor it for you to identify any problems in it and then rectify them. By outsourcing to a managed IT services provider, you not only get system maintenance, but you also get protection against cyber-attacks, virtualization, cloud computing, and an advanced IT infrastructure.
Enter into Strategic Technology Partnerships
According to a recent study that surveyed SMBs, technology providers such as managed IT services providers are attractive third-party partners. By partnering with the technology providers, most of the surveyed SMBs were able to achieve a much-improved operational efficiency—with some businesses feeling they were well-equipped to compete with the larger, more established businesses.
As exhibited by the survey results, SMBs can strengthen their capabilities and support scalable growth by entering into strategic technology partnerships. Transitioning to a new or trending technology becomes much easier and affordable when are in a strategic partnership with a technology provider. This is one of the best things you can do to help your business thrive.
Change the Focus of Your IT Person or Team
Want to help your business thrive? If yes, the change the focus of your IT person or team from dealing with emergencies to cost-cutting and improve revenue. Once your IT person or team starts thinking in this direction, they will look to make IT maintenance and management as affordable as possible. This in turn will help you to cut-costs and improve revenues. One way that your IT person or team may do to achieve this is outsource some of the IT functions to a managed services provider (MSP).
Go Virtual
As networks become omnipresent, physical location is less of a factor, enabling you to connect to people in the remotest of locations. Not only can you sell to people in all parts of the world, you can also keep in touch with your team on their business travels to ensure their effectiveness. Today, remote offices are more secure and reliable than ever thanks to the cloud-based services that enable better security and collaboration.
If you cling onto outdated mediums of communication, then it won’t be long before your competitors leave you far behind in the race for customers or market share. Not only do cloud-solutions enable real-time communication between members of a team in different locations, but they also provide SMBs will big data market analysis—allowing the businesses to navigate the global markets and interpret the behavior of their target audiences.
Make Use of the Cloud
There is popular notion in the mainstream and among the tech community that cloud-based services could render people in IT unemployed. Contrary to popular belief, the cloud isn’t here is to steal the jobs of IT people rather it is here to help them. Using the cloud, people in IT can make their jobs a whole lot easier. By reducing their daily workload, the cloud frees-up the IT people for activities that help cut-costs or generate revenue. So, if you want help your business thrive, start using the cloud for it today.
Technology is a game-changer and the SMBs that use it best get all the accolades. If you want to know how you can leverage business technology to help your business thrive and grow, then get in touch with us today. This is for your own good!
by Bobby J Davidson
We love our company and we love what we do. Check out the ‘Why Percento‘ page to learn more: Love of Technology and Business! Contact me today to discuss how our great team can assist: 1 800 614 7886 or our Contact Form.