What Role Does Strategic It Consulting Play In Aligning Technology Solutions With An Organization's Unique Business Objectives, Fostering Innovation And Sustainable Growth?
Gone are the days when formulating business strategies was considered the only priority, and IT would play a supporting role. But now, in this era, things have changed. Nowadays, technology defines business processes. Tech teams are playing a crucial role in company operations. So, it won't be surprising that technology is at the heart of every successful business. In this AI-driven era, people from almost every walk of life rely on advanced technology. It is nearly impossible to imagine how anything got done before the emergence of smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Similarly, organizations must keep pace with the ever-evolving technology to stay in the highly competitive market. In addition to streamlining operations and improving communications and enterprise application integration services, best-of-breed technology has much more to do. Therefore, syncing your business strategies and technology has become more critical than ever before.
Further, even Fortune 500 companies are under pressure to keep their operations stable and sustainable amid skyrocketing inflation, pressing labor shortages, and a hyper-competitive marketplace. In this situation, the companies are looking to technology for relief while at the same time carefully watching their budgets to protect their cash flow. As per the 2022 U.S. Technology Survey Report by KPMG, a majority of organizations, approximately 66%, have proven to be highly successful in leveraging technology to propel their business forward. These businesses have witnessed substantial profitability and overall performance improvements due to their digital initiatives.
Tech professionals are expected to play a significant role in innovative ideas and the company's overall growth. Tech leaders must invest time and effort in ensuring their teams work toward the overall business goals. If you are a tech leader struggling to align your tech goals with business operations, read this article carefully. After a discussion with industry experts, we have concluded with the following tips to help companies align their tech teams' focus with the company strategy.
Give People The Tools They Need To Drive Digital Success
According to the KMG report, the need for the necessary skill set significantly hinders digital transformation. Therefore, relying on just a specific skill set is not enough. Tech leaders constantly making transformational efforts should consider building collaborative teams with soft skills, including leadership, communication, collaboration, and flexibility. And more importantly, they must possess digital skills, including data analytics, cybersecurity, and programming expertise. Just think, for a while, you have invested money in the latest technology, but you don't have the team with the required expertise! It will not only result in the waste of money but also directly impact your business growth and success.
Sounds familiar?
If so, now is the time to take the right action. Before purchasing and deploying new tools and bringing any innovation, ensure that you have the right people and, more importantly, put them in the right seats and give them the training and tools they need to do well. Hence, talent development should be your top business priority if you are a tech leader, CTO, or CEO.
Rethink Digital Transformation Initiatives
In this inflation-hit era and economic uncertainty, companies are pressured to cut budgets on excessive overhead costs, including spending on technology. Therefore, industry experts believe that a solid and close alignment between IT leaders and businesses can protect tech budgets and keep digital transformation on the right track despite the need to save money.
Restructuring large-scale initiatives is one of the best ways for IT to accommodate cost-cutting while accelerating growth through innovation. For example, by undertaking smaller and faster projects that produce quicker returns, you can generate added value more swiftly and cost-effectively.
Sync People & Technology
The pandemic has changed our lives, forcing organizations to reevaluate their pressing needs and protect against uncertainties. According to a recent survey by the IDC, 75% of market leaders will have structured digital innovation programs, more systematics, and investments by 2026, which is undoubtedly a considerable jump from pre-pandemic days. Getting there requires them to align their digital initiatives with their organizations' and customers' immediate and future needs, relying on communication, collaboration, and attention to their employees' development to ensure they have what it takes to reach their goals.
Critical Role of Strategic IT Consulting
As we have already discussed, keeping the tech solutions aligned with the business goals is crucial to survive and take a lead in the highly competitive market. Therefore, organizations are growingly seeking IT consultancy from industry experts. It has been estimated that the IT consultancy industry has witnessed immense growth over the last few years and is currently valued at $426 billion. If you hire an IT consultant, here's how to get the most out of the relationship.
- Network Assessment
IT consultant companies assess your network and will let you know where your system is most vulnerable. You should see that diagnosing inefficiencies is the only thing that will ensure that your network is efficient enough to keep its operations running. Network assessment and analysis will help you know:
What is the current status of my infrastructure?
What are your most significant concerns?
Is your IT infrastructure adequately backed up?
What capabilities do you need to ensure long-term success?
- Security & Compliance
There's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to IT. Thus, strategic IT consultancy helps you integrate bespoke solutions that meet your unique business needs. Notably, it plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and compliance of your susceptible and confidential information. Before moving ahead, it's pertinent to mention that data breaches have become a significant threat to companies in the last few years. But unfortunately, small to midsize businesses fail to realize they are most susceptible.
It has been estimated that approximately 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. This alarming figure shows that regardless of the size of your business, you should invest in securing your network. IT consultants can help you identify your most significant threats, such as antivirus protection, email security, robust firewall, or another form of defense.
- Educate Your Employees
It's one of the most significant benefits of hiring IT consultants. They educate and train your employees to understand the intricacies of your network. In this way, your employees will better understand how to maintain their workstations and have some form of knowledge about possible security breaches. Workshops, online seminars, or educating one specific employee to reiterate the concepts to colleagues are the most popular actions that IT consultant firms take to align your tech solutions with business goals.
Wrap Up!
Industry experts believe that an IT consultant will significantly ensure long-term sustainability and, more importantly, help your company avoid overspending. Hence, if you still need to make a decision. Now is the time! Seek help from any reputable IT consulting firm and enjoy the benefits as mentioned earlier.