Most businesses have a business plan and a growth strategy but very few businesses think to implement a technology strategy. Maybe you think that your technology goals are included in your growth plan or maybe you have IT staff who can figure that out but all companies need an effective, clear, and separate technology strategy for their business to ensure success. Before adding a brief addendum to an existing strategy or promising to keep up with technology on your own, consider these reasons you need a technology strategy instead.
Stay Optimized
Businesses don’t buy software packages and new hardware because it’s fun. They implement new technology because it makes their business run more efficiently. A workforce management system, for example, can cut down time spent creating work schedules and training employees, ultimately making the entire organization run with less effort. Too many companies view technology as a one-time investment when, in reality, companies need to stay updated and optimized to continue reaping the benefits of their systems. A technology strategy can help businesses stay on the cusp of technology rather than struggling to catch up by creating a clear path towards creating a more efficient workplace.
Avoid Costly Catch-Up Upgrades
When a business has a technology strategy, they can plan for and implement consistent upgrades to keep up-to-date with their industry and the available technology. When companies neglect their technology, they run into the very common yet problematic issue of trying to play catch-up by implementing big changes in software that require employee time and expensive hardware upgrades. Rather than dedicating a small amount of time and money to their technology on an ongoing basis, they spend more money and waste more time. A technology strategy takes a year-by-year look at your current technology and assesses what needs to be updated and improved. By making small changes continually, employers save money and time.
Keep Up With the Competition
Few businesses are running a monopoly. Nearly everyone from Fortune 500 companies to first year start-ups are competing for a market share against some stiff competition. Keeping ahead of the competition is usually the focus of your growth plan but a technology strategy can provide some key insight to help you keep your edge. By keeping some focus on the updates and upgrades that are being rolled out from your current and new technology can help you identify changes that will vault you above the competition.
Whether you’re selling widgets or offering a service, technology is playing a bigger role in business success. Neglecting to plan for technology upgrades and overhauls is a surefire path to losing out to the competition. Creating a technology strategy that plans and budgets for technological advances can help you keep up with the competition, reduce training time, and stay on the leading edge of your industry. If you don’t have a technology strategy, start developing one today.
