IT Starts with Strategy

Computers, Printers, Copiers, Phone Systems Oh My! 

You know your business depends on technology for day-to-day operations, but do you know the impact it has on things like employee retention, customer experience, and overall growth potential?

Do you know how much you stand to lose if your technology systems fail – or worse yet – would your business even survive a major outage for any length of time?

Technology is a major factor in your ability to grow your business and must be planned for strategically.

Fixing computers when they break is not an IT strategy

Fixing is reactive and doesn’t allow you to proactively plan for your technology investments. A more strategic approach helps to ensure you’re making investments in technology that contribute to the success of your business.

• Technology, like any tool, is only as good as its fit for the job. Fixing your chainsaw isn’t the best investment if what you really need is a nail gun. A sound IT strategy helps to determine when changes in your business and/or job functions dictate changes in your IT tools.
• Fixing only allows you to maintain the status quo. Is your business the same as it was three years ago when you purchased that sluggish computer? If not, your investment may be better spent on new equipment better aligned with your business needs today and not three years ago.
• Fixing doesn’t allow for lifecycle management. With an average lifespan of 3-5 years, computers and servers should be replaced as they approach end-of-life. A comprehensive IT strategy will track anticipated replacement dates and assist you in making educated decisions on investing in repair vs. replacement.

The short answer, it depends. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is about more than just the tools you use, but how you use them. While some applications may never be HIPAA compliant, others that offer compliant features can still get you in trouble if your equipment is not physically secure, or if your employees are not trained to use the tools in a compliant way (i.e. walking away from a workstation without signing off or sharing passwords).

At a minimum, HIPAA compliance requires you use the Pro version of windows, as Home versions do not offer the functionality required for HIPAA compliance. Additionally, your operating system must be currently supported by the software vendor. Any version of Windows prior to Windows 7 is not compliant, and Windows 7 will not be compliant after the Windows 7 end-of-life date on January 14, 2020.  This article focuses on Windows 10 because other versions have reached or will soon reach end-of-life.

As technology advances so do the software needed to make it run efficiently. At the beginning of the year, Microsoft published a reminder that Windows 7 will lose support on January 14, 2020.

If you're wondering how this affects you and your business, here are some things to consider.

It’s happened to all of us – your computer crashes just before you save the report you’ve been finishing all afternoon or the printer jams while you’re printing that big proposal.

Anger, frustration, helplessness, and a touch of nausea are the result. These are the absolute worst feelings employees could have on the job, and the more frequently they feel them, the more likely you are to lose your top talent.

Cost is often a big reason cited by business owners for not upgrading or advancing technology, but the truth is that fast computers, high-speed internet, accessible data backups, and secure electronic files are not luxury items. They are essential tools to most effectively utilize and retain your greatest asset and most limited resource – your most talented employees.

According to the 2018 Global Talent Trends study by Mercer, “as [employees] support technology, they want technology to support them back – through state-of-the-art platforms that enable people to connect, collaborate, and innovate together.”