Business Technology

 Introduction - most small business owners are naturally more interested in running their core business then worrying about exploiting business technologies. Yet the vast majority of small firms would not survive were it not for the use of business technology tools such as Internet access, personal computers and mobile phones.  Not all business owners are IT literate and this creates a barrier for many owners, who may feel limited by their fear or concern over using new technologies. They may be perfectly comfortable with sending e-mails, word processing and basic budgeting.  Yet for many, it is simply beyond their comfort zone to exploit the power of emerging business technologies such as online networks, application software and mobile computing. Many small business owners simply don't have the time to educate themselves in detail, despite the fact they intuitively know some business technologies can help reduce their costs and boost sales. Some 'stuck in mud' managers are more comfortable with traditional business processes, that have served them well for years, so see little business value in changing day to day processes.  This article highlights some of the business technology issues, principles and choices, owners of small firms need to address...

Protecting Business Information - business information represents the most valuable asset of any company.  Protecting, managing and storage of this data is critical.  Yet even though stored data quantities are increasing year upon year, many small firms fail to implement a basic backup and restore process.  There are many automated business technology solutions currently on the market, to assist firms to store, manage and protect business information. Data management policies need to incorporate data stored on mobile devices, shared computers, networks, remote locations and archived resources.  Small businesses that rely heavily on storing large amount of data, may need more robust off-site storage solutions.  These factors should be incorporated into any firms disaster recovery plan, to mitigate the impact of loss of data or systems, on the day-to-day running of the business. Failure to produce a contingency plan may lead to business failure, in the event of a major disaster.

 Computer PC Security - PC security and computer security issues should also be a top priority for business owners.  Threats from hackers, intent on stealing information for identity fraud and for resale is ever-increasing and changing in nature. As the proportion of business users connected to electronic networks increases, so has the frequency and severity of security breaches across those networks. Despite huge advances in encryption based technologies, most security breaches occur because of human error, and not due to failure to upgrade to the latest PC security solution.  Firms need to protect against different forms of remote network intrusion, that may inevitably lead to lost profits.  Security policies need to include definitions of the levels of access staff have to non business website and personal email, as well as physical protection of IT. Obvious pc security areas to review include firewall network protection and software protection against adware, spyware, malware.  Business owners also need to ensure their employees follow company policy guidelines when handling sensitive customer data, whether it be at home or out of the office on the move.

 Computer Services - most small businesses in the UK are reliant on computer technology to support their business. When computers break down or need setting up, maintaining or upgrading, it can sometimes be difficult to know which computer services supplier to use and what level of support is required.  Most small firms don't have the necessary information technology skills to do repairs, monitor and maintain application software or implement a data recovery strategy. Simple choices have to be made about how much is done in-house and what computerservices are procured from third party specialists. Key computer business services  include installation, PC upgrade and repair, network installation, application programming, data recovery security services and computer rental services.

 Company Website Hosting - the quality and reliability and professionalism of a small firms company website, reflects directly on the business. In the minds of website visitors, if the company web pages load slowly or the site is down due to hosting problems, then the company is simply not up to scratch. Professionally run websites can make a business look bigger than it actually is.  Yet many small firms fail to grasp the importance of ensuring their website remains live and supported by professional hosting organisation.  Many simply looked at the cheapest option viewing it as nothing more than a minor relevance. Web site hosting involves a lot more than the simple ability to transfer a file from a computer to some allocated web space.  Finding the right business hosting supplier who can provide the right level of skills and customer services, is critical in ensuring the success of your company website.  Failure to properly evaluate the supplier and their capabilities, may result in a loss of service, inability to add functionality or even loss of data!

 Local IT Services Providers - as firms grow organically, their information technology requirements become more complex, demanding and costly.  Eventually a full-time office IT manager is required to look after the rest of the teams IT needs. However, many small businesses simply cannot justify the cost of employing a full-time highly qualified person.  In addition, there is a risk that this full time person becomes busy, overworked or falls ill, creating unplanned system downtime. Subsequently, many firms are opting for IT services outsourcing with professional third party business technology supplier.  This would typically include providing a call centre helpdesk to provide remote telephone expert assistance, installation of application software, hardware server management and administration, backup and restore services, firewall management, network LAN and PC support call out when hardware fails.  For smaller firms, it is unusual that their employees are transferred and employed by a larger IT services outsourcing supplier. However, the total managed service provided usually reduces the need to employ an IT administrator within the small firm itself.

Business Software - one of the most difficult choices firms may need to make regarding business technology, is whether to develop in-house bespoke business software, or alternatively purchase off-the-shelf business software packages.  Bespoke business software  may have major cost implications, as well as major productivity gains.  Unfortunately, many small firms can only afford industry-standard off-the-shelf packages.  However, as small firms grow organically, the need to develop more appropriate and  customised business applications becomes apparent.  Bespoke software development costs are usually dwarfed by the ongoing management and support of that software in the longer term.  Without the knowledge of how to define the initial business requirement and its parameters of success, using developers to create business applications can become a costly and frustrating exercise.