As your business evolves and grows, so will your team, marketing campaigns and operational processes and procedures – your IT infrastructure is no different. That’s why if you’re planning on expanding your business over the next few years, you’re going to need a bespoke IT support strategy tailored to the needs and goals of your organisation.
So what is an IT support strategy? And can the right IT support strategy really help your business grow? The answer is a resounding yes.
What is an IT support strategy?
An IT strategy is an all-encompassing business plan that outlines how IT infrastructure should be used and managed. Also known as an IT roadmap, your strategy will detail how your business technology aligns with your overall goals and operational aspirations. This type of bespoke strategy is often tailored to the needs and demands of a specific business and will include cost management.
In a way, an IT support strategy is basically a document highlighting how your IT infrastructure and other business technologies will pave the way for more efficient operational processes and day-to-day and other business functions. Nevertheless, in the digital age, it’s a hugely important document. This is because modern IT infrastructure needs be to flexible and agile. It also needs to be able to adapt and respond to any changes such as business growth, technology updates or a change in the priorities of your organisation.
How can the right IT support your business strategy?
An effective IT support strategy can help your business in aligning your IT infrastructure and other technology with your objectives. It can also help your business determine what you need as well as how you can successfully optimise and employ that technology to help your business as a whole attain its KPIs. This is in contrast to haphazardly purchasing technology, hardware, and software for your business with no strategy.
Key benefits of an IT support strategy include…
- Boosting productivity and efficiency
- Increasing end-user satisfaction and customer service
- Budgeting better and cutting unexpected costs
- Making sure your IT infrastructure is helping your business achieve its goals
- Staying ahead of your competitors
Efficiency and productivity
Due to our reliance on technology, modern businesses often come to a complete standstill when their IT systems and networks malfunction and fail. A successful IT support strategy should be able to identify weak points in your system and highlight areas that require improvement. This gives your business the opportunity to take the necessary steps to resolve issues before they escalate and throw a spanner in your day.
Improving end-user satisfaction and customer service
Any successful business, from a bakery to an electrical contractor, will place customers at the forefront of its overall strategy. This is because your business growth is entirely dependent on the acquisition of customers. It’s also why modern businesses should always make sure the end-user experience is clear and consistent across the customer journey and lifecycle. This could include having a user-friendly website or ensuring there are multiple ways to get in touch with your company via phone, email or even social media.
One way customer service and end-user satisfaction can be improved is through user experience testing. User experience testing involves simulating various customer interactions with your organisation and can identify areas of your customer journey where the user experience can be enhanced. This is often implemented using technology such as QR codes for postal returns or scan-and-shop machines at supermarkets.
Through an IT support strategy, customer relationship management tools can also help organisations manage and generate more leads and build effective marketing campaigns. This type of integration is great for any business that is looking to improve customer service, particularly if your organisation wants to create a more personalised experience for your customers.
Staying competitive
Ensuring your IT support strategy is flexible, agile and adaptable can also ensure your business remains competitive. Although keeping up with technology these days can be easier said than done, it can encourage your business to look ahead and plan accordingly. Some components of your strategy you might plan for include…
- Budgeting
- Security
- Compliance
- IT asset inventory and management
- Customer and user interfaces
- Servers, devices and storage
- Your IT environment
Doing so can help your business stay one step ahead of your competitors, as well as keep on top of the ever-changing tech curve.
Budgeting better
The ability to accurately forecast your IT costs is one of the key advantages of an IT support strategy. Instead of purchasing IT infrastructure ad-hoc, businesses can take a more careful approach by estimating what they’ll need over a period of time. This can help with effective budgeting and reduce your overhead costs overall. An anticipated lifespan should be assigned to each new purchase. That way, your business will be able to plan for any new infrastructure and budget accordingly.
By improving inter-organisational communication through technology, you and your management team will also be able to gain a better understanding of areas requiring improvement, meaning you may even be able to include new hires in your budget.
Although it’s impossible to forecast when your IT infrastructure will break, you can plan any necessary upkeep, upgrades and replacements of outdated equipment with an IT support strategy. This can help cut unanticipated costs and allow your business to invest in other technologies you may need to get ahead.
Achieving your goals
Few businesses could operate without technology. In fact, in many scenarios, IT infrastructure is one of the driving factors behind the goals and aspirations of a modern business. After all, it’s easier to meet business needs day-to-day if your organisation has an effective IT support strategy in place – most of all, because it ensures your employees have the right infrastructure and software in place to do their jobs effectively and complete their tasks day to day.
Final thoughts
These days, it’s critical for businesses to take care of their digital assets and IT infrastructure in a way that supports business growth. To do so, your business is going to need a future-focused, data-driven IT support strategy.
Partnering with an IT support provider is the simplest way of transforming an IT support plan into an actionable strategy. To find your local IT support company, type your location into your favourite search engine with a few different keywords such as ‘IT Support Bristol’ or IT Support Plymouth.
As your business evolves, so will your IT infrastructure. That’s why if you’re planning on growing your organisation, you’re going to need a bespoke IT support strategy – its contribution to your overall business plan should not be overlooked.