Tips on How to Properly Upgrade Your Organization's Hardware

Sadly, your organization's technology is not immortal. At some point down the road you will have to upgrade away from your current hardware, which, unfortunately, is not as simple as it sounds. Listed below are some pointers to help you out during this difficult process.

Think Before You Act

The biggest mistake that any company can make with technology is making a decision about a solution without thinking it all the way through. All you need to do is look at it from an outside perspective. A lack of planning could result in taking on significant costs, yielding little, if any, positive return on your investment.

When you are planning to enhance your infrastructure, having some sort of plan is imperative because it can help you circumvent these unforeseen costs. This strategy will take some time to implement, but it is well worth the effort; this will also keep you from implementing unnecessary technology. Remember, the most critical part of implementing new technology is that it functions in a capacity of generating positive revenue growth.

Will your Organization's Culture Create Problems?

Your organization's culture will have a significant impact on the way that technology is implemented. For example, you might be eager to add some new technology, but your staff may hedge. Maybe your staff might be comfortable utilizing older solutions that they have had time to adapt to or, maybe they just don’t see the potential gain the same way you do. Be aware that they will be the ones utilizing any new technology you choose to implement and, having open lines of communication with them to ensure they comprehend that the technology you’ve chosen is only to help improve operational efficiency can go a long way toward winning their approval.

Are Your Business Goals Aligned with Those of IT?

The operational side and the information technology side of your organization usually seem like two separate entities, creating a situation where they have different goals. The problem with this is that it’s wrong. Any technology needs to be aligned with your business’ goals, so changing things up can justifiably feel intimidating. Often this is so pronounced that it feels too risky to invest in anything new. It’s imperative to keep in mind that involving your employees in the technology implementation process can make any new investments that much more effective.

Are You Prepared to Manage Your Data?

Data is perhaps the most critical thing to keep in mind when implementing any new technology solution. Consider your infrastructure, as well as what it would need to accommodate, and scale as needed to any new IT solution you want to implement. The other aspect that you need to be cognizant of is the security of this data. If you can centralize your data, it’s easier to manage and protect, allowing for easier scalability. Penetration testing can also go a long way toward identifying issues with your data security, resolving potential issues before they even become a problem.

Macro Systems can help your company with the implementation process for any new technology solution out there. To learn more about how we can help your business overcome these challenges, reach out to us at 703-359-9211.