Technology can quickly become obsolete as your business grows and changes. In fact, sticking with legacy systems can significantly increase an organization’s IT budget. That’s why it’s essential to constantly review the efficacy of your current IT systems and decide whether to replace them. Here are five sure signs you need a business technology review.
1. Increased downtime
If your business has been dealing with more downtime than usual, it may be time to assess your current infrastructure. Frequent incidents or emergencies can sap both the time and energy from your core business functions, hurting your bottom line.
Performing a business technology review can help identify and address any vulnerabilities, helping you apply the right changes to improve resilience. It could also help in identifying bottlenecks, allowing you to streamline operations and restore the flow of productive work.
2. Technology lacks flexibility
Does your current software constrain, rather than promote, business growth? If employees start bypassing established systems and opting for workarounds, inefficiencies and manual errors start to rear their ugly heads. In these cases, it may be time to explore solutions that not only support existing operations, but also provide the flexibility to scale with your business. This provides you with systems that more easily adapt to new business needs, helping you achieve your objectives faster as well as promote further, sustained growth.
Moreover, another clear sign of outdated, inflexible IT is the absence of mobile capabilities within your teams. If your workplace is tied to on-site technology, processes may be more prone to errors, collaboration may suffer, and business development and productivity may slow down. Embracing solutions that allow for more agile and seamless teamwork (such as the cloud, automation, and artificial intelligence) can help foster greater innovation and allow for continuous access to critical data.
3. Changing business needs
If your technology is struggling to keep pace with current industry needs, then it may be a sign to consider a comprehensive tech assessment. Legacy systems eventually become obstacles to progress, hindering growth and overall efficiency. They could result in an inability to adapt to new regulations and compete with industry rivals.
Typical symptoms of this include frequent refusals from the IT team in response to new requests and the failure to support ongoing trends of digital transformation. You may also be grappling with various compliance challenges, increased customer dissatisfaction, and difficulty to generate real-time business reports. A technology review may thus help identify areas that need to be updated or replaced to meet the current or future needs of your organization.
4. Lack of confidence in current cybersecurity
Outdated or inadequate cybersecurity measures can leave your business vulnerable to data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other malicious activities. The consequences often extend beyond financial losses, encompassing damage to your reputation and customer trust. Should you find yourself questioning the security of your data and sensitive information, it may be time to conduct a thorough technology review.
Proactive technology reviews will help you identify and address security vulnerabilities long before cybercriminals can exploit them. The findings from a review can also give you a roadmap for what security measures and policies are required to safeguard your company’s most valuable assets and remain compliant with industry regulations.
5. Increased maintenance costs
Finally, elevated maintenance costs for legacy systems are a clear indicator that a business technology review is overdue. While routine maintenance is expected, a surge in associated expenses often points to underlying issues with outdated systems. They become more challenging and expensive to maintain due to the scarcity of available skills, outdated hardware, and compatibility issues.
Funds spent on continuous maintenance could thus be redirected to strategic technology investments that better align with your current business needs. A holistic review could help assess the cost-effectiveness of this and allows you to identify more modern, efficient solutions.
If you recognize any of these signs in your current IT environment, it may be time to take proactive measures. Our team at outsourceIT offers managed IT services to help assess your current systems and implement new efficiencies. Don’t wait for new challenges to escalate — get in touch with our experts today.
