As a business owner, it is necessary that you understand the importance of advanced technology. By just adding technology to automate routine tasks and streamline your processes you can increase business efficiency and expand your operations. Here's what you need to know to make educated strategic technology investments:
Develop a Strategic Technology Plan
Smart companies develop a process to evaluate their technology goals and requirements before implementing anything new. The first step is to conduct an audit to inventory the technologies already in place and how they meet your goals. This will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your current system and the overall importance to your business objectives. Your audit should address business requirements and the correlating technology; hardware, software, and service solutions currently in place. Matthijssen can help you with this process.
Evaluate Technology to See if it’s Time to Upgrade
Computers. Computers are most likely to need an upgrade after a software update. If you've recently begun using the latest version of your preferred software and computer performance seems detrimentally slow, it may be time to consider new hardware. Having employees working on slower systems can end up costing more than replacing or upgrading the equipment in productivity loss. There are things you can do to get your old hardware back up to speed:
- Add external hard drives
- Upgrade your processor
- Install additional memory
Telephone systems. As the cornerstone of your communications network, your telephony should be upgraded or replaced quickly if a problem develops. Complaints about lengthy hold times or calls not being answered may require you to put in additional lines or even hire additional phone agents. If you are expecting the volume of calls to rise significantly, consider upgrading your system before any issues arise. Be sure that you have enough time to implement the new system and properly train employees.
Purchase New Technology. If it has been decided that your company will need to do more than upgrade your current hardware and systems, it is important to answer these key questions when considering making any new technology purchases:
- Will my company see an immediate gain from added technology?
- What benefits are possible?
- How long will it take for us to achieve our goals?
- What is required to implement and manage the technology?
- Will new hardware and applications support future growth?
In addition, when conducting research on potential solutions, be sure to read customer reviews. Get feedback from business owners you know before making any final purchase decision. Matthijssen will help you strategically plan for your technology to meet your current needs and your needs in the future.
By using strategic planning in developing and implementing a technology plan, you will avoid bad investments, decrease spending, and provide your employees with the right tools to provide customer satisfaction. By outlining your objectives first, you will have a greater chance of success that positively impacts the people in your company.
