Take a Step Back to View Your Business’ IT Realistically

When you get excited to implement a new technology solution for your business, it is easy to let the expectation blind you as to the true value you get from it right out of the box. It’s no fault of your own; it’s human to have expectations that exceed reality. In business, though, it is important that you keep these misconceptions in mind, especially when it comes to your technology systems and implementing them.

The Latest is the Greatest

When a new solution is released and big names in your industry start to implement them, it’s easy to hop on the hype train and implement a solution before thinking it over. The hard truth of the matter is that new is most definitely not better. While it is true that more recent technology has certain benefits over older systems, the extent of this truth is going to vary wildly depending on your specific needs and current situation. Be sure to look at your current infrastructure and ask yourself what problems these new technologies can resolve and whether or not they are worth the price point. It helps to take a day or two to think it through, as well as the perspective of a third party like SCW. There’s a reason why external auditors exist, after all; having that unbiased opinion can be incredibly valuable when making decisions.

My Staff Know How to Use Technology

This next expectation has to do with assuming that your staff will know how to use your new technology. The reality is that it is going to take more time than a simple tutorial to show off your new solution to your staff and get them on board with it; it could take months for them to get caught up to speed and use the new solution in a way that facilitates productivity. In particular, employers tend to look to young people as technology experts, but again, this is not necessarily accurate. When implementing new solutions, you should assume that all of your employees have minimal knowledge of the system. You can then build a training program around that minimal baseline.

It Can’t Happen to Me

Perhaps the worst expectation you can possibly have in business is that unfortunate circumstances, like data loss and hacking attacks, won’t happen to you. No business is immune to these fatal disasters that threaten the continuity of your business. SMBs, in particular, are guilty of this thought process, as they assume that they are not high-profile enough to suffer from hacking attacks. All businesses need to prepare for such an event with proactive security measures and data backup systems in place.

Once you can get past unrealistic expectations for your business technology, it becomes much easier to improve productivity. Let SCW help you manage expectations and assist with the implementation of any new IT solution for your business. To get started, reach out to us at (509) 534-1530.