Information technology plays a key role in every organization’s ability to succeed in today’s demanding and competitive environment. Without properly designed and managed IT systems, managers and business owners are not able to achieve operational efficiencies and meet employee, customer, and supplier demands. IT systems have changed so significantly in the past few years alone that they require a whole new perspective from managers.
Here are five key items to consider in order to achieve success:
- Change is hard but essential. We are all creatures of habit. The same is true for the IT systems that you have been using for many years. These systems have enabled your company to grow and prosper but have also established a set way of doing things that will eventually need to evolve. Keep an open mind and explore the possibilities in a systematic fashion.
- Older applications are not saving you money. One of the initial objections that we hear from managers is that a new system is not in the budget. But once we drill down into how work is being done (or not), employee productivity levels, lost sales and production opportunities, and drag on overall growth and profitability levels, it’s often easy to quantify how older, outdated systems are actually costing the company multiple times what a new updated system would. Assess your current processes and see how new IT approaches could add significant value.
- Cloud is here to stay. Owning usually feels better than renting. Owning numerous servers and legacy applications, however, is usually nothing to be proud of. They are draining your company’s resources and holding your team back from being its best. While you can’t “own” the entire cloud, you can pay for the portion that you use and leverage its capabilities to maximize the value you’re getting out of your technology. In most cases, a cloud-first strategy is a good management practice.
- One person won’t know it all. We consult our family doctors for common ailments and expect them to direct us to the right specialists that can address more unique issues and prescribe proper treatment plans. It works the same way with IT. Professionals cannot possibly be an expert in all aspects of technology, from infrastructure and connectivity to numerous business applications and security practices. You need to define your various IT needs and identify the proper internal and external resources as well as who you can count on for specialized areas of knowledge.
- Good technology partners are golden. Given the realities of the middle market, you will need to build an ecosystem of partners, consultants, and solution providers to address your needs over the long haul. Finding stable, honest, and competent partners is a key management challenge not only for IT but in all aspects of your business. Identifying, selecting, and nurturing these relationships requires management skill and ongoing attention.
- Build cyber security into everything you do. Most managers view cyber security as a pure IT issue relegated to whoever manages their systems. Although IT departments (internal or external) play a key role in the process, at the end of the day, management is responsible for the organization’s risk posture and, as such, accountable for ensuring proper cyber and information security practices and mechanisms have been put in place for all aspects of operations. Learn about cyber and privacy issues and ask questions during your management meetings to ensure cyber readiness is part of your ongoing management concerns and practices.
In summary, there are tremendous opportunities for companies that change their traditional approach towards information technologies. Some may need to shift their mindset to ensure they are leveraging the latest innovations for gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. Doing so will allow your organization to truly benefit from the latest offerings.