Report by Epson Highlights How Businesses Can Action Profitable Change
Article adapted from https://www.modernmanager.co.uk/6-simple-steps-perfect-it-operations/
A recent survey undertaken by Epson has revealed that over 70% of office workers see technologies such as desktop computers and printers as essential to working effectively. 55% of people surveyed estimated that their productivity would drop by 10-25% if these technologies were not provided.
Rob Clark, Senior Vice President of Epson Europe commented that: “It is clear from our research that – despite digital advances – people still like to work with paper, preferring print rather than working on-screen for certain tasks.”
Implementing new technology can prove challenging; particularly for small businesses trying to do so without dedicated IT resources. However, by following these six steps, every business can action profitable change and optimise their IT operations:
1) Determine who is accountable for IT
There must be clarity on the roles and responsibilities of all employees tasked with IT duties, particularly if your business doesn’t have a dedicated IT resource. Confusion about accountability leads to a waste of resources, especially when businesses want to implement new technology on a company-wide scale.
2) Assess the IT inventory
Before investing in anything new, it’s important to understand existing IT assets by determining how much there is, how long it’s been there, the running cost, its lifecycle, the alignment of IT to the business goals and impact on the workplace. Keeping track of the IT inventory will limit unnecessary purchases, identify recurring problems and monitor what technologies need to be replaced or updated, helping to improve your IT operations overall.
3) Know what your workforce needs
There is no point implementing a new system or application if it’s not actually needed. Take the time to ask your employees directly what they feel would improve their day-to-day role and make the organisation more competitive. If organisations fail to provide suitable technologies, it could affect employee engagement and recruitment.
4) Ensure IT aligns business objectives
According to a Bain & Company study, 80% of business executives believe that their organisation’s IT is not aligned to business strategies. Clearly this is a worry when organisations are striving so hard for growth and market share. All IT investments must support your businesses specific objectives if they are to generate real value.
5) Invest in the most frequently used workplace technology
IT spend needs to be managed so that the business is not compromised by investment in short-term solutions that do not offer longer term potential. An example of a long-term solution is implementing a productive, environmentally friendly printer fleet. A recent study highlighted that European businesses could save up to 4.5 days in labour costs yearly, equivalent to €55.2 million every year, with the implementation of inkjet printers.
6) Recognise the benefits of new technology
Business leaders and those leading IT projects must stay up to date on the latest technology trends by reading industry specific and IT trade publications and websites and sharing views with peers. IT should then move quickly to take advantage of new technology and stay ahead of the competition.
Adopting new technologies can clearly impact the way businesses operate and employees work. IT leaders must take ownership of technology innovation and make strategic decisions based on careful reviews of workforce needs, business objectives and the existing IT inventory.