One of the greatest advantages to business owners these days is that they no longer have to worry about building a complex technology infrastructure for their companies. In fact, the modern enterprise can reduce overall operating costs through the smart application of technology. If you are interested in saving money and lowering your IT costs, here are four ideas you should consider.
1. Don't Be Immediately Swayed by New Technology
Business owners should be careful about falling for the latest and shiniest technology that can be implemented in their companies, particularly at the startup stage. When new tech hits the market, it tends to do so at higher prices. It is often better to wait until new technology has settled because there is usually a greater chance of getting better pricing; moreover, competitors are more likely to introduce more affordable options months down the line.
2. Keep IT Spending Proportionate
IT expenditures across corporate America range between one and 15 percent. The firms spending 15 percent or more on IT tend to be in the technology sector themselves. Keep this in mind when you sit down to write your business plan, and consider retaining an Ottawa tech support managed services provider or one in your particular locale to avoid having to keep technicians on payroll.
3. Consider Your Cloud Options
This should be one of your first considerations. Instead of maintaining an office server, you should evaluate the possibility of moving all your data to the cloud. If you operate within an industry that requires local data retention, you may be able to implement a private or hybrid cloud tech solution to please regulators; examples of businesses that can benefit from a low-cost cloud application include law firms and health clinics.
4. Adopt a BYOD Policy
If your younger employees are members of the Millennial Generation, there is a possibility that they might ask you to let them use their own laptops or tablet/notebook hybrids. In the spirit of reducing your IT expenditures and making your staff happy, you should implement a "bring your own device" policy. A BYOD office tends to work efficiently; however, it is important to implement security and maintenance measures to keep personal devices safe and in good working conditions.
There should be no reason why business owners should feel pressured to spend a substantial portion of their operating budgets on technology these days. Going back to the second point made above, you should aim for tech expenditures of about one percent.
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I hope you enjoyed this article about maximizing your IT department's return on investment by cutting costs.
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Published by Michael J Schiemer
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