Sexy technology on the fast track hits you where it hurts

You know your budget to keep necessary technology up and running? How’s that working for you? My opinion is it’s the word “necessary” that has many businesses overspending on the ever-increasing pileup of technology chores.

If your business has been around for a while, you probably introduced technology slowly with at least some of your employees suspicious or even fearful of what it meant for their future. Others were probably relieved that it didn’t affect their jobs. The very newness of technology and its unique place in your business was the focus and anything chore-like about managing it would come later. But later is here—what changed? It’s a given that technology has always been and always will be about change, but what snuck up on us is the corresponding changing nature of technology work. Thanks to advances on all fronts—software, hardware, applications and don’t forget the economy—more and more of technology work is a chore.

It’s hard to find anyone in business squeamish about technology anymore. Instead, everyone relies on it to get almost anything done. Even if you haven’t added to your staff, you have added technology. Employees depend on computers, smart phones and tablets. As you continue adding technology, you tack on more chores. More people using more devices, applications and services means someone has to spend more time on smaller chores like resetting passwords, updating devices, tracking warranties, upgrading systems and getting replacements when devices break down.

Chores, plain and simple. And if that’s a fulltime job for your IT professional, you’re overspending.

If your IT person is too busy taking care of chores to keep up with technology advances, let alone focus on the strategic direction of your company, you’re going to end up spending more money than you need to. When it’s time to install new business applications, for example, and you’re not equipped to handle them in-house, you can expect to pay for expensive consultants to the tune of $200 an hour.

How about this cost-savings alternative: outsource the chores to a managed service provider who has the depth to offer the right level of expertise for the job. The skill set required for most technology chores doesn’t require an engineering or computer sciences degree. The chore master needs some context and knowledge of the device, but not a deep understanding of your organization and your strategy.

Outsource the chores, and let your IT professional use her talents to help keep your business on the fast track.