The Role of IT in Your Business

What is the role of IT in your business?  Is IT simply a resource to fix problems?  Do you look for IT solutions only when prompted by business needs?  Do IT solutions help drive your future business plans? There is no wrong way to integrate IT into your business. However, many business leaders are not aware of the impact IT can have, from more cost-effective and efficient practices to driving future growth and success.

Stage 1 - Basic support

Your business has some pc's & laptops, email, maybe a wireless network.  You probably have an accounting system and a website. Your IT infrastructure tends to not be critical for business operations. The primary focus of your IT solution is supporting existing systems & infrastructure, with limited focus on future business objectives & strategy.

Within this role, it is important to have an IT solution that will resolve issues effectively and efficiently.  It is also important to monitor what systems are the source of your issues.  Upgrades and enhancements can be cost-effective solutions to recurring problems (I will address the upgrade decision process in another post). Even in this basic role, your IT provider should be able to provide cost / benefit analysis and return on investment projections to aid in decision making.

Stage 2 - Enhanced Support

Your business has an IT infrastructure that is critical, probably involving some applications that manage your operations.  However, most of your IT infrastructure has developed as a result of business needs.  At this stage, IT systems can help differentiate your business from competitors on a cost basis as well as a customer product & service perspective.  Issues of standardization and scalability become much more pressing and infrastructure investment becomes a necessity.

Stage 3 - Integrated Planning

Your IT infrastructure is business critical and you're now starting to take into account IT-related issues as you plan your future business goals & strategy.  Your IT Department should have the trust and respect of the rest of the organization. Determining which projects will reap the most rewards, which systems are worth investing in, and analyzing the existing marketplace and projecting competitors goals are important objectives that IT should play a role in determining.

Stage 4 - Strategic Planning

The role of IT in your business is a primary factor in the success of your business.  This is the most integrated role of IT, you cannot effectively plan and strategize for the future without giving significant consideration to IT projects and systems.  This is not an end-goal for all businesses, but for many large organizations it is what drives their growth and success.  In this role, both current and future IT systems are critical to the operations of the business.  The IT systems may even be the focal point of the business. 

From the standpoint of an IT Solutions provider, I believe businesses that find themselves in Stage 1 and Stage 2 stand to gain the most from an outside provider.  Many times, the range of IT systems, and required expertise necessary to competently manage them, is beyond the capability of an in-house IT professional or department, especially at affordable rates. 

I believe in finding the right IT solution for a business and will only accept clients that would be well-served in a partnership with DC Tech Solutions.