13 Jul Connecting to a digital, modern world – The wrong IT and what it can do to your business
The digital landscape of the world we live in is ever changing, with arguably some of the biggest changes happening over recent years. This has opened business owners’ eyes to the possibilities of using technology to its full potential in the workplace, wherever that may be.
In the following blog series we will highlight some of the challenges that businesses are facing in the modern digital age and what digital additions can remedy those challenges.
There has been one advantage that has resulted from the turbulent times we are recovering from – it has highlighted some of the less than obvious issues in our workflows and the way we do things in our businesses. Some challenges that were previously pushed to the back of our minds and ‘put on the list’ for another day have been brought to light – mainly due to the pressures that were forced upon us practically overnight.
Some businesses are still – unfortunately – using the wrong IT and, therefore, not getting the maximum benefit from their digital solutions.
The wrong IT and what it can do to your business
Many businesses are still using outdated software or hardware – this can have a seriously detrimental effect on business functionality and (arguably worse) security. Also, resulting from this, many of your more tech savvy users will take it upon themselves to use their own IT (referred to as Shadow IT) which you, as the business owner, have no control over. Shadow IT drastically increases the risk to your organization as there are no organizational requirements over control, documentation, access, security, or reliability.
The aim is, of course, for long term business success, but, to ensure that, you must first guarantee the long-term prolonged business functionality and constant growth that all businesses need. To achieve this you need to sit down and strip back your organization to its component parts.
A digitally based strategy for the future
The future is a mobile one. Many think that the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the change but, in actual fact, the work environment has been making a slow and gradual transition to a more remote one for quite some time.
The last year, and the changes in work environment some went through, have highlighted potential business challenges that need resolving as soon as possible. Modern digital options on the market are the solution.
Here are two challenges that businesses all around the country have and why you should resolve them as soon as possible.
The two challenges:
- Lower risk – increase levels of security and compliance
- Increase profit and productivity.
Why address them?
- Lower risk – increase levels of security and compliance
You will experience problems if you don’t remedy these as quick as possible, including:
Loss of time
- Loss of data
- Loss of reputation
- Loss of clients.
And if the above is allowed to continue this can then lead to the most important of all:
- Loss of revenue
What can lead to these impacts?
- Cyber threats
Cyber attacks have the power to cause untold problems in your business – theft of data, valuable information, or even causing electrical and equipment failures if the attack is of the right sophistication level, to name just a few. Methods of cyber attack are far more extensive than most know and come in many different forms – Phishing emails, Malware, and Ransomware are some of the most popular methods preferred by cyber criminals. This being said, new methods of attack are emerging daily – all of which have the power to completely debilitate your organization if they are given the chance.
Cyber security is very important for any and every organization – if correctly implemented it is the difference between success and failure as a business.
Cyber attacks can mean loss of data, leading to reputational issues, potentially causing loss of revenue when your formerly loyal customers stop using your services.
- Reduced pressured resources
For any business to be successful they must use the resources at their disposal as efficiently as possible; it is essential to find the right balance that allows for a thriving workplace. Not having the ability to use resources to their full potential (such as staff, money, and time) can have a serious derogatory effect on the reputation and success of a business.
We will now take a look at the second challenge, the impact of not rising to the challenge, and the risks that can lead to that impact.
- Increase profit and productivity
The impacts if not remedied:
- Loss of time
- Loss of reputation
- Loss of clients
- Loss of revenue
The risks that can lead to these impacts:
- Poor use of resources
Regardless of what is going on in your workplace specifically, in the industry your organization resides, or in the world as a whole, it is not okay to just ‘take it as it comes’ – you must have a strategy that allows your business to thrive and grow.
By not using your resources as effectively as possible tasks can take longer than necessary, meaning a reduction in productivity. This time-wasting could eventually lead you to fall behind on what you promise to provide for your clients – which will trigger a series of events that penultimately leads to your clients taking their business elsewhere, which, of course, means less revenue for your company.
- Not moving with the times
Not moving with the times is very unhealthy, both in work and otherwise. Obviously, there are some functions in your work day that have to stay the way they always have as there is no modern alternative, but, for the majority of tasks in your workplace, with the right technology and the right support around the use of it, your business can enjoy the modern boost that can help it thrive and grow.
If your competitors are using modern techniques for productivity, they undoubtedly will be offering a better-quality product to customers, in turn leading to a potential drop in your revenue when customers transfer their business to your competitors.
If you address these issues correctly there is no reason why your future can’t be a prosperous one.
In the following blog we will explain how, by changing the culture of your workplace and with some help from the correct modern tech, you can solve both the problems we have discussed as well as others that you may have already highlighted for yourself – in turn, making your business operate and run more efficiently and thrive.
Your Cloud service provider – Downtown
Our team of experts enable companies to enjoy the advanced opportunities offered by Cloud technologies. Our Cloud solutions include offsite data backup, data sync services, Hosted Exchange, and Office 365. Those same experts will work alongside you to be sure we not only implement the best technological solutions to improve the way you work but also ensure it is as straightforward as possible. You and your team will be educated throughout the entire process and be confident that your systems are secure at all times.
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