How Strategic IT Planning Can Help Your Growth

Setting up IT infrastructure for your business is complicated and requires professional planning to be done right. Everything in your company should be planned and accounted for, but many make the mistake of forgetting their IT organization, which can then cause lapses for your brand. Failing to properly prepare for IT setup, changes, or expansions is how many companies lose steam.

You have to be prepared with a plan that will tackle everything you need – from cloud storage to website services and upkeep, you should be aware of how this is happening and when. Otherwise, you may lose important files, anger customers, or ruin your brand’s trustworthy reputation due to an IT oversight. You may need to hire a professional service – as everything continues to require sophisticated digitalization, your company must keep up in order to compete. 

What is Strategic IT Planning?

An IT strategic road map should have clear goals for growth and detail the steps necessary to get there. Whether you’re a new business or already established but require some updates, there are certain technical points you must consider when creating an IT plan. 

You’ll likely need: 

• Network support to make sure your website can handle traffic and runs smoothly
• Protection and oversight to keep your business safe from ransomware, malware, and hacks
• IT asset management, to know how many computers, printers, phones, apps, and other technologies are being used in your office
• Technical support, or someone that is knowledgeable and can take care of any problems with existing infrastructure
• Cloud and backup services so that you always have your company’s files safe
• System integration, or making sure all of your technologies and apps work smoothly together

All of these contribute to your brand’s overall growth. Users look at your business’ digital assets and decide whether they’ll want your services or not, and companies that fail to keep up with technology tend to fall by the wayside. As you develop new products, expand operations, hire new staff, and expand into new markets, you need clear digital organization. 

How to Create an IT Plan

Firstly, look at the big picture. Decide what your clear goals are and a time frame in which to complete them. Then create smaller steps that will help you get to your digital organization goals. Look at your company’s needs. Does your website frequently crash? That’s a priority that needs to be addressed. Are your employees having trouble finding documents and important communications? That is also something vital to look at as you create your plan. Figure out your budget and see what the gaps are in your current digital situation. Make sure that each step is manageable and attainable. 

For example, if your goal is to increase your customer base by 20 percent over the next year, you’ll have to look at what digital progress you can make. Can your website handle a slew of new customers? Do your employees have easy means to contact and work with potential clients? What are you doing to ensure the safety of current and incoming clients? You can do this by ensuring that your employees have easy access to communications, your website has enough safety protocols, and the webmaster can handle the traffic.

If you’re not sure where to start, contact the experts at Internal Computer Services. With over 20 years of experience working with independently-owned companies, ICS can help you prioritize and simplify your company’s digital life. Call us at 804-672-1057 and speak to us about your current needs. We provide a variety of services and can customize a plan just for you.