This will be a 2-part blog considering the role of tech within small businesses.
This week, we'll focus on the importance of having the right tools to monitor network activity, and the effect this has on the business.
Next week, we'll consider the roles of BYOD and cloud computing alongside SME tech.
Making tech work for SMEs
SMEs and technology go together like rain and London: these days it's hard to imagine one without the other. Yet with the onslaught of IT comes numerous difficulties. If SMEs want their tech tools to work for them, they need to focus on two words: visibility and control to secure business efficiency. Below I'll discuss how these words can lead to better communication between IT staff and managers; and can improve application performance, cutting down on recreational online activities while maximizing business ones.
Tech tools to increase communication between IT staff and department managers
For SMEs, conveying IT information about applications to senior officials can often be challenging. There's a lot of lingo. KPI, SLM, SLA, WAN optimisation - these are all terms that managers and senior staff may not be familiar with. Eyes glaze over. Confusion arises. Rather than driving business forward, such complicated technology terms hinders business - particularly in SMEs, where resources are so limited and so crucial.
What SMEs need is to be conscious of this. There are tools that allow SMEs to be proactive about their IT and the performance of their business applications. These tools cross the language divide between IT staff and department managers. Some offer one-to-ten rankings to indicate how successfully IT and applications are operating across networks. Others provide easy-to-understand graphics.
Without such measurements, it's difficult to set technology-related goals. Under such circumstances, when issues arise, tension between IT staff and department management inevitably follows. Management see IT as expensive and not performing well; the IT department is put in the uncomfortable position of being on the defensive.
In contrast, when there is a metric - a clear indicator that simply and easily points to the heart of an issue - it's much more possible to positively respond to arising difficulties. IT staff have data and information they can provide to senior officials.
Additionally, using tools that provide insight into tech improves user complaint handling. When people do complain, IT staff can see the information needed to help users, even if it is something as simple as being able to describe the problem and tell the customer when it will be fixed. Consider a non-IT example: an individual misses their train. Not knowing when the next train is set to arrive may cause distress. Conversely, knowing how long the delay will be allows the individual to be proactive rather than reactive. Think of these monitoring tools like a digital train board. Through using the advanced information on application performance IT departments can better serve users.
For IT managers, being offered insight into the running of the network is hugely useful. It offers the IT department the chance to take control, and ultimately wield more power and influence within the business. As the use of apps within the workplace becomes more complex, there will be increasing demand on the IT managers to keep up with the additional data, and ensure the network runs smoothly. This is no easy task, and the use of tools to aid in this area will be no doubt welcomed.
That's all for now... We'll talk about the rest next week, as it's a long topic and a complicated one. You can check out more of these issues on our blog, AppsSoluteBlog.com.