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If you’re a small business owner with a limited budget, upgrading your software may not seem like the top of your list of priorities. Yet, reviewing your IT from time to time, to upgrade or change it, can have a significant impact on your productivity, your reputation, and ultimately, your bottom line.
Fast-moving technology
The first reason to think about upgrading your software is that technology is moving at an amazing pace, and competition between suppliers has never been more fierce.
It’s a great time to make a list of every program or platform you use currently. It’s likely that if you’ve been using them for a couple of years or more, new features will have been added, free or at an additional cost.
If your business has also grown or developed since you installed your software, carry out an IT audit and analyze the costs vs. benefits of the upgrade. Will increased functionality helps you to become more productive or competitive? Is your security up to scratch?
Also, over the past few years, mobile working has become the norm. How well has does your current software perform with your mobile devices? If the answer is – not great – it’s time to update and upgrade.
Increasing security threats
These days, we’re all aware of the threats posed by hackers. It’s not just financial data that is targeted – business-sensitive information and personal data are all at risk. Large organizations tend to take a proactive approach in preventing such an attack, as they realize the potential danger to their systems.
As a small business owner, though, it’s tempting to imagine that no-one would be interested in stealing your data. Wrong. Your data can be stolen and re-sold, or your entire system could be held to ransom or brought down. When the worst happens, it’s already too late. For example, if you’re a small business or don’t use email heavily, MS Outlook is fine. If you’re growing fast, and need more security, Microsoft’s Exchange server, will not only protect your mails but also back them up in case of emergency.
New responses to perennial needs
2020 was the year when remote working became the new normal for many businesses – due to the pandemic, there was no other option. New responses to perennial needs suddenly became ‘must-haves’. If your email and other systems have started to feel slow and cumbersome, slowing down your business – cloud-based platforms such as Slack can enable faster communication between the whole team, as well as document sharing without a huge up-front investment.
Many of these shifts happened inside organizations. However, customers familiar with these tools now expect the same ease of contact and speed of response. How does your current software facilitate the service level you want to offer? Opting for cloud-based apps and e-commerce solutions, such as MS Azure, will ensure you always have the latest technology at your disposal. Not only will you benefit from automatic upgrades, as outlay is based on usage, which can be adjusted instantly, but you’ll also be able to manage your costs smartly.
Additional resources and useful info:
- Why secure your business with Cerity Insurance
- Benefits of using a password manager
- How to do what you love for a living