If you’re a micro or small business, you know that every penny counts. And, outside of headcount, the cost for IT is often one of the largest lines on the budget.
If you’re worried about your IT costs and whether you have the right IT solutions for your business, we’re here to help.
For almost two decades, I’ve run IT departments for recruitment SMEs and am well versed on the concept of being frugal, while getting maximum value from your IT solutions, particularly when they’re outsourced.
Balancing costs, while implementing the IT solutions and service levels businesses need to grow, is a delicate balance.
That’s why I’m sharing my insights to make sure your IT is a business-enabler.
1. Embrace the Cloud
If there’s one thing you need to know about a Cloud-first approach, it is that transitioning can significantly reduce your IT costs. It gives you the flexibility of scalable services on your terms. Meaning you only pay for what you use when you need it. And it delivers the agility that modern businesses need to meet their changing demands. BUT, it’s not all roses. Transitioning can take time. You need a reliable partner who understands your needs to help make the move, otherwise costs can spiral.
2. Get IT management you can trust
It’s vital that you have an experienced IT Manager/Head of IT or CTO to deliver IT strategies that are aligned to your business objectives. They know how to manage IT staff, vendors, budgets, and assets, and ensure that your IT investment pays for itself. The downside is, as a micro or SME business, you might not have the budget for a permanent head. This is where a consultant can be your friend. You get all of that experience at a fraction of the cost. But, make sure who you select has industry experience where possible and works UK hours. It’s challenging enough managing remote suppliers without these additional complications.
3. Be Cyber smart
You cannot take cyber security seriously enough. Bad news is that the risk and costs of downtime due to cyberattacks are skyrocketing. Good news is that you can get the security to identify and mitigate risks without spending the earth. Helpful tip: Adopting Cyber Essentials, a UK Gov led initiative, for security is a great starting point. Then get some advice on matching business risks with appropriate highly-ranked cyber security tools to create a budget-friendly security solution.
4. Pick solutions that help you optimise spend
Think Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Azure if you want to optimise spend. They’re comprehensive tools and platforms can lead to costs savings, increased productivity, and improved business operations. These systems do a heck of a lot more than just sending emails. Get to know what else they can do, like support you to achieve more robust security.
5. Go green
Using refurbished hardware can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new equipment. Believe it or not, high-quality refurbished equipment performs comparably to new hardware AND can extend your IT budget significantly. It also supports green initiatives by reducing electronic waste and conserving resources. A win-win in my books. It’s a tactic that I have leveraged many times when I need to wring out that IT budget. But, make sure you use certified refurbished stock from the right suppliers.
6. Make informed decisions with data
In IT there’s no shortage of data. And if you want to get real bang for buck, don’t ignore what’s right in front of you. The benefits are endless and can stabilise your operations and simplify process by using the data to understand your IT costs. It helps you align your IT strategy with business needs so that you spend only what is needed by prioritising investments that drive efficiency and ultimately growth. Whether it’s regular auditing or analysing ticketing trends, there is so much data that can help you streamline your IT.
7. Phone a friend
Not all core IT resources have to sit in house. Throughout my career, I have leveraged the resources of MSPs to complement my own skills as well as provide tools that would otherwise be cost prohibitive. The benefit is access to specialised expertise and advanced technology, often at a lower cost than maintaining these resources in-house. It’s a huge cost saving, and it means help is on hand 24/7.
If you want to stretch your IT budget AND drive sustainable business growth, these are the top approaches to take to get the best bang for buck.
They are the difference between smart investment and cost-cutting.
Any questions? I’m happy to be a sounding board to give you some advice to get the ball rolling.
