If you think that your IT department’s top priority is setting up email addresses and connecting users to the internet, then you’re not seeing the big picture – and you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity.
Your IT team no longer serves as a support function, it is a key business driver. As businesses undergo major IT transformations, they face a range of exciting possibilities and a variety of IT challenges. From managing cloud and leveraging big data to handling cybersecurity, your IT personnel are actually one of your greatest assets.
For business executives and IT Managers, these changes mean redefining traditional roles and responsibilities and finding ways to work together.
So, what are the biggest hurdles facing IT Managers and business owners? Here’s our list:
1. new technologies
Just because something is new, doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your business. IT professionals need to do their homework, which means understanding the organization’s strategic goals and researching what IT solutions will help the business achieve these goals.
2. cybersecurity
Data and security breaches continue to make headlines and cause headaches for IT managers. These incidents make regular and comprehensive preventative maintenance essential for the IT department. Real-time monitoring of all critical networks and devices becomes an absolute must as businesses simply cannot afford the cost and reputational damage that accompany a data breach or a system crash.
3. mobile and social media
Sure, social media and mobile devices have opened up the landscape for employees to work from anywhere, but keep in mind that they also expose businesses to greater risk. What would happen if a corporate mobile device containing confidential information was lost or stolen? Mobile device and social media policies need to be developed and implemented to ensure that sensitive business information is kept secure.
4. big data
We all know that businesses are now generating more data than ever. The major problem is that most of this data is unstructured. And when data is unstructured, it doesn’t really add any value. Changing this data from a mess into something that can be used to help a business understand its market and customers is one of the greatest IT challenges faced by modern businesses.
5. asset and data management
A part of dealing with IT challenges mentioned above means monitoring and managing countless moving parts. Developing information governance programs, embracing cloud computing and finding an appropriate mobile device management policy must become part of any standard IT strategy.
Now that we’ve unpacked these challenges, you might be thinking that your IT isn’t running as smoothly as you would like. What makes these hurdles even more difficult, is that more often than not, the responsibility falls solely on one person’s shoulders. Most businesses don’t have the luxury of having an IT department, instead they have one IT Manager or the owner of the business oversees these tasks. That’s a lot of tech for one person.
The good news is, you don’t have to handle this by yourself. Our expert IT Support team will focus on the IT challenges, ensuring your business runs smoothly and securely 24/7/365. You can focus on what’s important – your business.
Connect with our IT Services team to book your complimentary network and security assessment.
For more information on a TCS Assist solution, click here.