Understanding IT costs: maximizing results

If you are a business owner, and your company is using technology, this article may offer some insight toward that enigma found within your walls called - Information Technology. This is an article about what does it really cost to have a computer in your company.

Of course, if you use a cell phone you are using a computer; unless you have been living under a rock, or you find yourself having never purchased or used a computer, because your telephone (landline) and typewriter will do, then this article is for you.

Our blog and this post is here to help you gain insight and understanding. My old "go to" when I meet with customers, is to ask a simple question, "What does it cost for a person, phone, pen & paper?" If you are not happy with the computer, let's do this. Turn off the computer. Use the phone, pen & paper. If you are the receptionist, this is your daily job. Simple. No cell phone, wifi, plug or electricity really required. No data to lose. I hope you have the phone directory memorized!

A call comes into your business, now what. The receptionist takes the call. Perhaps the old PBX is working and transfers the call or if you are a digital call company... oops, no call.

I believe you get the point. We live by email in business; we love to hear the phone ring in business. It is fantastic when our website generates an order or schedules time to speak with our favourite client. I enjoy checking the score and following PGA golf - from the internet or my phone.

Great, now that we have established we are going to use technology, software, etc., let's go back in time for a moment, once more. Let us ask ourselves about the cost.

Here is a list of items:

- IT Person, with benefits

- Consultant (Who do I call when it goes wrong or stops working)

- Power consumption

- Software (Operating system, data retrieval, update, movement)

- Hardware (physical machine, place to put machine, place to keep coffee)

- Weekly Backup

- Daily backup

- Restore Information

- Restore information again

- End of Life plan for software

- End of Life plan for hardware

- Connection to ____________

- Data capture software

- Short term data storage area

- Long term storage area

- use of Information (Data)

- Reset user password

- Re-reset user password

- walk down to user and re-re-reset password

- Purchase of Information for marketing

- Communication Tool(s)

- Email

- Phone (Desk)

- Other

- Other, Other

- Security

- Etc.

If that list does not spark some ideas, I am not sure what will. If the list sparked a headache, I do apologize. The concept, as always, is to bring everything out and understand the costs. Did I mention, resetting a forgotten password or retrieving a document? They all have a cost associated with them. Writing the password down and placing it under the keyboard can cost as well.

We all know about the cost of HR Onboarding or Offboarding an employee, but do we know or understand the cost for replacement of items or personnel? (i.e. training, training, review, training, etc.)

Here at UTBSC, Our phone is constantly ringing, a good thing, to come out to a client site and hold training, can we please stay on the line with or send out an email letting the new guy know "How to log onto ____". Even consultants don't want to hear the words, "...we lost power, and now _______...?!" What does losing a few hours of work really cost you or your company?

I can't connect and I have a presentation due

Losing information or having to retrieve the information multiple times has a cost. There are a few ways in which most of us view our computers and storage/retrieval of information - I believe it is something similar to a black hole...

There are many ways to control costs. Redundancy and cloud storage come to mind. Using a password keeper and hiring a reliable consultancy company like UTBSC, come to mind. (Cheap plug)

Many companies have built their own clouds, while others use services like Office 365. Some company's place information and share it via services like dropbox.

Whatever your bend, you are using a computer to move your business forward. One area I have found very overlooked and understated is communication and collaboration.

My favorite solution when I hear folks complain about communication is: 1.) Peer-to-Peer, Microsoft Teams & SharePoint Online. 2.) For service based business, I recommend Exchange, Office & SharePoint. As you can see, I have a leaning toward Microsoft. Yes, I use Apple, Linux, Google, Outlook, etc.

Small to medium sized businesses use a variety of tools and technology. As the business gets larger, medium to large size companies, Microsoft or RedHat become the technology of choice. For businesses over 20 people I have found Office365 a fantastic solution with common tools used by most people and this has also included Microsoft SharePoint. If it is online or on premise, SharePoint has been an amazing tool.

SharePoint can be used by small organizations looking to grow, or organizations looking for enhanced communication. This tool can use predesigned templates, Like SP Marketplace or setup from scratch. One note about using templates, you begin about 85% complete. Answer some questions, add your logo and some information and any power business user is off and running... time is the biggest savings.

If you need something a bit more complex, there are many services like Nintex who can ensure information is kept and stored in a manner to be reused as needed. Just like software giant Salesforce, there are many solutions to meet your needs and growth. Call UTBSC.

One final thought, if you hire someone to help you with IT or you bring it in house, keep in mind, training will be something to add to your budget. At UTBSC, we train one-on-one and groups with your technology. People don't keep up with technology without having the proper tools and training to get the job done right. Doctors, mechanics, lawyers, etc., all have this in common. I much prefer the journeyman to the apprentice.

Our consultants can help you in any one of your IT journeys, call us today and let's talk about your technology, vision, plans and projects.

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