These days, businesses are more reliant than ever before on technology to help improve communications and to maximise efficiency in the workplace. The increased use of the internet, email and mobile technology has revolutionised the way companies operate and made IT a crucial factor in building and maintaining a successful company. Yet still even today too many companies think of technology as a necessary evil rather than truly embracing all the opportunities it can bring to make organisations more efficient.
In the past companies may have been able to get away with paying lip service to IT but in the fast changing modern world this will no longer be possible. Now, with the convergence of voice and data and the much greater reliance of mobile communications, it is crucial for all businesses to urgently develop a coordinated IT Strategy.
The changes in business working that we have seen over the last 10 years are very much only the beginning of what will happen over the next decade. At every level, faster and more accessible communication will be key. With globalisation, the increased use of home workers and the more flexible working environment; access to information needs to be seamless and instant.
Whilst the notion of the “paperless” office may not be a reality in the true sense, the need for electronic document management systems (EDMs) that can allow staff to access a wide range of documents wherever they may be in the world will only increase in the future. In an ever more competitive world, customers will be drawn to businesses that make communication with them as easy as possible. Good technology used properly will reflect well on your business and can help motivate your staff by taking some of the drudgery out of their day to day tasks.
Increasingly websites that used to be used merely as a shop window will now be more integrated with other back office systems. In the airline industry you don’t just book your flight online but also choose your seat, order your meal, “check in” and get live data from the airports about when your flight is due to land. This integration of the internet with other business processes will only become a lot more important as web use increases. Clients will want to have full visibility of every part of their interaction with your company. Once again easy access to information and the sharing of knowledge will be the key.
Of course with increased compliance legislation and the need for business continuity planning, technology can also provide a crucial back up in the event of an unforeseen disaster. With the proper storage of electronic data and the rerouting of voice and data over the internet, many companies can in effect be lifted from one location and taken to another with minimal disruption. This is where Cloud Computing comes into its own and its take up is now seen as inevitable over the next few years. Many companies are already working from “the cloud” and the usage is soon set to increase dramatically. It is also ideal for companies who wish to scale up (and down) without the need for costly capital expenditure-just look upon it as another utility that can be turned on or off as you need it.
Technology therefore must be embraced by all of the decision makers in a company and their views properly coordinated to enjoy all the benefits it can offer. Don’t think of IT simply as a cost but more as a real opportunity to embrace the opportunity for change and drive efficiency into your business. Currently, many organisations are still too reactive and fail to think strategically enough about how the world is changing and how their business is changing with it. As we are now in the 2nd decade of the 21st century, it is certain that the speed of change will only increase and certainly not slow down.
Just look at how the use of smartphones has increased over the years, look at how social media has grown and is being adapted by business, look at SEO (search engine optimisation) and unfortunately the ever present and greatly increasing threat of IT security. Who would have thought these things would be so important to all businesses even 5 years ago? It makes you wonder exactly what will we be discussing in 10 years’ time?
Maybe now you can see why getting a Strategic IT Road Map for your business is not a “nice to have” but in the modern day and age is simply a necessity. My advice is don’t be afraid of technology though-just embrace it with both hands before your competitors do!
