“What information technology needs will my new business have?” is likely one of the last questions most new business owners will ask themselves. Second to that would probably be, “What information technology needs do I have to adopt to grow my business?” And yet, information technology (IT) plays an integral role in the success of most businesses. Conversely, IT can play a role in the downfall of a business, too. Whether you are starting a new business, growing a business, or sustaining what you have, there are certain IT pitfalls you should avoid.
Time Sink Time spent managing your computers, servers, network, wireless routers, software updates, antivirus updates, technology vendors and all other aspects of information technology is time not spent on growing and managing your business. Sure, in the beginning, it may be just you or you and one other person, but as your business grows and demands increase, you will find yourself scrambling to keep up if you are also having to test and apply Windows updates.
The Wrong Equipment Choosing the right equipment from the start will mean several things. Sure, the cost can be more, but it’s not much. And with the right equipment, you get longevity, expandability, improved reliability and, typically, access to support that provides for longer-term warranty replacement of defective or worn-out parts that is often performed onsite. Many consumer-grade systems have “mail-in” warranties or do not have the same quality of technical staff available for support. Making the investment in better equipment from day one will mean less downtime from issues, increased productivity and a better return on investment.
Solutions That Don’t Scale With Your Business Consider adopting software solutions for your business that scale with your business, either up or down. Cloud-based software solutions that provide for incremental licensing, email solutions that have optional add-ons, and even hardware that can be expanded and/or upgraded are all examples of solutions that give you flexibility. If you start out using the wrong software or hardware because “it’s just there” or “it’s cheap,” it will end up costing you more in the long run. We’ve seen it countless times with new business partners who, for example, used a basic spreadsheet program to keep track of their inventory, estimates and even payroll. That may have worked 15 years ago when there were only two employees, 10 clients and 100 inventory items. Fast-forward to today: That same spreadsheet is a nightmare of countless tabs and thousands of entries, and it is often not even used by other members of the workforce because it is so cumbersome. The wrong technology will end up costing you one way or another.
Ignoring Security and Compliance Often overlooked by even established businesses, failure to comply with regulatory or compliance requirements can cost some businesses thousands. I’m not just talking about healthcare providers here. If your business interfaces with the banking industry, processes credit cards, provides insurance, or performs medical billing or transcription, you need to know what regulatory and compliance requirements you need to adhere to and how that can impact your information technology. Again, make the right technology decisions in the beginning and you can avoid higher long-term costs.
Not Utilizing a vCIO A virtual CIO is a contractor or company that serves as an organization’s chief information officer. A chief information officer is typically the person in charge of all IT strategy and systems for supporting a business’s objectives and goals. A vCIO is an outsourced entity that works with the business and the business owner to ensure the technology solutions in place, or planned, are in line with the company’s objectives and goals. Most managed service providers (MSPs) supply a vCIO service. The person who will ultimately act as your vCIO will typically have experience not just with technology but also with management and budgeting. Partnering with an MSP that supplies this service early on will ensure the business makes the right technology decisions and investments. Contact your MSP to find out more about this service.
MICHAEL E. REMER is founder and president of ComputerCare LLC, an IT services company providing a full spectrum of IT solutions and services to small and medium businesses.