The world has been turned upside down in 2020 by the Coronavirus pandemic and the economic meltdown that followed. Still, it’s now that time beancounters dread most in the year – planning and allocation of resources for the year ahead.
The pandemic has disrupted normal business processes in a big way, which is why your IT budget will probably be the most important part of the budget allocation. In pre-COVID times, the IT budget was essential for revenue growth.
Now, it is critical to survival.
Businesses are racing to become fully digital to support eCommerce, remote work, collaborative virtual workspaces, and other enabling environments. As one of the top IT companies in Texas, Zeg Solutions has the right blueprint for your IT services in 2021 moving forward.
1. Reduce costs associated with maintaining old and expensive legacy infrastructure
Fast-moving technology has made it almost impossible to catch up with new releases, infrastructure, software, and system updates. For most businesses, it just isn’t worth the money and effort, or is it? While staying current takes time and money, what’s the alternative?
Legacy systems are money drains. The term “legacy” refers to systems that have either become grandfathered or are no longer supported by the manufacturer. At first, it makes sense to hold onto old infrastructure, which in some cases may be only a year or so in use. No extra training is required for your employees, and they work just fine – until they don’t.
However, the problem with legacy IT infrastructure is that it is always one mistake away from disaster. Whether it’s a security hack, major catastrophe, or incompatibility issues, it can cost your business big time.
But the worst crime that legacy infrastructure is guilty of is the cost of maintenance. Back in 2015, a survey found that almost three-quarters of IT spend goes toward legacy infrastructure – simply keeping the lights on. The situation hasn’t much improved today either.
At the end of the day, the quantifiable benefits of upgrading to new technology far outweigh the liabilities presented by outdated infrastructure. Especially that now everything is moving online, including the traditional office.
Businesses that choose to stick with legacy infrastructure are making a security gamble that could very well cost them everything. Older tech is more vulnerable to attacks as both hardware and software become more powerful by the day.
Don’t spend precious resources on maintaining what is essentially dead weight. As you plan next year’s budget and IT spend, remember that your business needs to embrace the future, not fight it.
2. Improve security and train your team with the latest dark web and phishing courses
In addition to being a security risk, legacy IT infrastructure is usually accompanied by equally “legacy users” who are susceptible to today’s modern hackers.
You need to think about the human factor in security as well and invest in it. As hackers become more sophisticated, the human link is increasingly being targeted with attacks such as phishing and social engineering.
Every security-conscious business, company, government, and organization needs to invest in keeping their employees up-to-date on the latest security trends.
These threats include the rise of the dark web where all kinds of criminal activities take place. Other human vulnerabilities such as trust, love, anger, and pity are also exploited to gain access to otherwise secure tech.
As you work out your 2021 IT budget, remember that you and your team members will be working from home and each is a potential weak security link. Invest early in strengthening your team against social vulnerabilities. That way, you protect your business on all fronts. All of this can be done by hiring the right IT security partner.
3. Most important, hire an IT company that is your partner vs your IT vendor
Business IT has shifted to become vital to business in 2020. Gone are the days when a solitary IT guy to keep the printers and computers in line was enough for a whole office.
Today, you need a competent, trustworthy IT partner to keep an eye on software, hardware, and people. Apart from the very obvious security advantage, the real reason why the right IT partner is worth more than their weight in gold is because of the edge they give you in the industry.
As you work out your 2021 IT budget, keep in mind the many benefits to be gained from hiring a reliable world-class IT partner. The convenience, cost-benefit gains, and reliability offered cannot be reproduced in any other scenario.
The current technological environment is complicated at best, and absolute mayhem most of the time. It is a multi-trillion dollar industry where only the one with the best tools wins. Improved efficiency, better productivity, and innovation are all contingent upon you having a vibrant and reliable IT partner.
Unlike in-house IT departments that remain comfortable in a fast-paced world, an external partner like Zeg Solutions has to be agile and competitive. As a business, you are assured of having the best talent and first-class IT technology to help get your business to the next level.
4. Avoid initial capital investment on infrastructure and take advantage of IaaS
In the increasingly cash-strapped economy, it doesn’t make sense to spend huge revenue allocations on capital IT infrastructure. You will get so much better deals at a fraction of the cost, thanks to modern Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
IaaS is an instant cloud-based computing service offered by large companies like Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon. Essentially, you “lease” just the right amount of computing power you need to run your processes instead of buying bulky, expensive, and potentially unsafe physical IT infrastructure.
The benefits of IaaS are immense. For small businesses, it means that they can keep their IT spending to a minimum and scale it up as they grow. For large corporates, IaaS allows them to make their operations more agile, accessible, and centralized than with traditional infrastructure.
The flexible options available, tight security, and maintenance-free services offered made this the ideal choice for 2021 moving forward that every business should take. You don’t even need an in-house team to set it up and manage it for you.
The right IT partner will be able to offer remote and on-site IaaS integration and maintenance services on demand.
Your Ideal IT Partner in 2021 and Beyond
Here at Zeg Solutions located in Houston, Texas, we are forward-thinking technology experts with decades of experience in all facets of information technology. We know what is right for your business and how to navigate these tumultuous times. Partner with Zeg Solutions and let us help you usher in the future.
