Whether you just want to keep the lights on for the least cost, merge your IT with that of an acquisition, or lead the way with the latest WIFI technologies, it makes sense to have a plan.
“Why?” I hear you ask.
If you have a plan, then you are unifying your workforce. Your board members will hear and agree your approach, your finance team can budget to help you achieve your objectives, your IT team know what success looks like and the expectations of your users can be correctly set. An IT Strategy helps communicate to all your staff what your goal is and sets them up to work together to achieve this, rather than pulling apart as each forms their own objective.
Yet despite this, and maybe to nobody’s surprise, very few small or medium size organisations have one. Maybe it is because small organisations are unsure where to start, what one looks like, or who’s responsibility it is. But, from what we know, this should not stop you and keeping it simple is fundamental to its success.
What about the cost plan?
How much did you spend on IT last year? When will your server need to be replaced…? When do you think it will actually be replaced? What about your staff laptops, Wireless Access Points, or those boxes in the cupboard with lots of lights, whatever they are?
A 5-year cost plan is a fantastic way to map out all of the IT expenditure, consider the real lifecycle of all components and understand the options you have for each. With pre-planning, you may be able to extend the manufacturers warranty and therefore the life of a device, or at the least, understand the areas of risk. All of this, will tell you if you can really afford to replace the directors aging laptop with a new MacBook Pro!
In combination, an IT strategy, cost plan, and asset list provide any organisation with vital visibility into the current condition and lifecycle of its IT estate. They help you prioritise, reduce risk, and unify staff. For this reason, we think they are a fundamental component of well run IT environments.
How do I get this for free…..?
Any new customer taking out a network support contract before April 2019 will be given an IT Strategy, and 5yr Cost plan for free*. Just send us an email at info@5thutilty.co.uk or give us a call, and mention this article!
*Subject to terms
