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Top 3 Hottest IT Projects for Small Businesses this Summer
As a small business, you are more agile when it comes to adopting new technologies. With small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) with a strict budget, you must also be cautious about spending. The challenge is how to determine which IT project should be a priority and will offer a proven return on investment (ROI)?
Here are three summer technology projects that are popular starting points among our SMB clients:
Cyber Security Assessment
The prevalent headlines about security breaches affecting Fortune 500 companies often give the perception that larger companies are the primary target of cybercrime organizations. When in fact, according to Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report, small businesses make up a whopping 58% of data breaches.
To protect your organization from costly cyber-attacks, it’s important to deploy proven security strategy that combines a perimeter around your network and protection at the end-user point. The standard starting point is a Cyber Security Assessment. An assessment will reveal your vulnerabilities and potential risk factors.
TECH TIP: Use these summer months to educate your employees. Then, consider incorporating a cyber security best practice reminder into your regularly scheduled meetings. As cyber security continues to become a commonly accepted part of your business planning, these reminders will keep your workforce in tune with their actions in regards to keeping your business secure.
Office 365 Migration
Whether you manage remote employees or a large in-house staff, modern collaboration tools have become a staple in running a successful business. If you still have some employees on Google Suite, some on Microsoft Office 365, some on Yahoo or even an on-prem exchange server – consider the benefits to your business productivity with your entire team on one stable and scalable platform!
While each department may require different functionality and therefore a different tool, only Microsoft Office has the robust features you need to perform seamlessly across departments:
- Management: MS Projects
- Collaboration: MS Teams
- Storage/Intranet: MS SharePoint
- Communication: Skype for Business
When you align your Office 365 migration with a long-term business strategy, you’ll identify opportunities, potential challenges, and see value within your collaborative environment.
TECH TIP: An Office 365 migration, when done correctly, has minimal impact to your day-to-day operations.
Cloud Migrations
Migrating your business’ data to the cloud requires a properly prepared and executed roadmap. Don’t forget, you don’t have to migrate every application, folder, or file. Mission-critical apps and sensitive data, like financial information, are logical starting points.
Part of any cloud migration strategy involves choosing the most appropriate environment. Is Azure right for your business needs? Or Google / AWS? What’s the difference between each of these platforms?
Before you rush to a brand name, consider the advantages of private or hybrid cloud configurations. Based on your business’s needs and growth strategy, they may be the more cost-effective solutions for the long-term. Your decision on whether to go on a public cloud platform, such as Azure, or on a private platform should be carefully determined with a cloud migration expert basing the decision solely on your specific business requirements.
TECH TIP: Before migrating to the cloud, talk to your provider or IT consultant about industry regulations. Any extra safety measures or regulatory requirements needs to be considered, but taking the time to consider your options and requirements will ensure you stay secure and compliant.
Have You Already Identified an IT Project to Complete this Summer?
No matter what IT project you’d like to start, create a systematic approach to evaluating, prioritizing, and deploying new technology. Consult with an IT Professional to ensure your logic is sound and that you are making a profitable move. Moving forward, you’ll have an easier time aligning IT demands with your operational strategy and budgetary requirements.
Luckily, NexusTek’s local IT experts are available to guide you through your summer IT projects. Schedule time with an expert here.