The technological advancements of recent years have reshaped our home and work lives.
These innovations have been designed to boost productivity and efficiency.
Although when our Wi-Fi is down, many of us have found ourselves wondering whether many of them truly benefit us!
That aside, before investing in new tech it’s always a good idea to spend time asking yourself whether the solution is really worth the money that you are putting into it.
It’s wise to think long and hard about what your business requires to operate more effectively before you create your tech shopping list. Think about areas of your business that require improvement and consider what the risks of failing to invest in new systems are. You need to reflect carefully about how your tech resources compare to those of your competitors and how it will work with the resources that you already have.
Who will be using the system?
Consider which members of your team will be using your IT system. It’s vital that staff are given the time they need to get to grips with new systems. If you offer training and enable your employees to experiment with it, the benefits of the innovation will become clearer to them. Before you purchase your system, ask the supplier if they provide training. If one member of your team gains a rich understanding of the system quickly, you could enlist them to train others and provide ongoing support.
Ongoing maintenance costs
It’s important to look at the costs of ownership as well as the initial outlay. Costs don’t just end when you have purchased a new system. With installation, maintenance, service and support, it’s likely to set you back a considerable sum, especially when upgrades are needed. However, don’t fret, in the long run there is usually good payback with the new technology you invest in, it just takes a little time to reap the full rewards.
Purchasing licences and cloud solutions can help you ensure your IT system continues to benefit you in the long-term and mean that you don’t continually have to replace the investment. You will also need to find out how long it will take to make the system fully operational. Try to find out how much the system will cost you annually. Once in place, you will need to take steps to assess its performance. Ask the software provider if there is a simple way to track how well the system is supporting you.
Rethinking your office space
When implementing new technology in the workplace, it’s important to consider whether you need to make changes to your work environment to incorporate your new technology. It’s helpful to assess the nature of your space and how your new tech can be integrated and made accessible. For example, if you’re purchasing a video conferencing system you will need to find out whether the environment will help or hinder communication. Echo and noise from outside of a meeting area can compromise the efficiency of such systems.
An office interior design specialist can help you decide whether any new tech you wish to purchase is a suitable match for the working environment. In recent times, more and more companies are reducing the size of the office floor in favour of multiple touchdown spaces and audio visual spaces for collaborating with others.
Making changes to your office layout can certainly help you derive extra value from your solution and that’s where Flow comes in. If you’re planning on making new tech investment and struggling to understand how your office space can accommodate the changes you need to make, then please get in touch. We would be happy to give you some ideas.