Much like any important business tool, your IT system needs to be formally reviewed on a regular basis. This not only ensures that your network is functioning optimally, but also guarantees that it is helping you achieve your business objectives. For this reason, we believe in the power of the IT audit – a comprehensive review that assesses effectiveness of your IT and raises areas of concern before they negatively impact your business.
An IT audit takes into account the actual nature of your business, its key drivers and how IT can help meet and exceed organisational targets. After an audit is conducted, a detailed written report is compiled that documents all areas of your IT and how these can be optimised. Here are five reasons why you should consider an audit of your IT:
An IT audit starts by reviewing and documenting all of your business’ IT assets including servers, PCs, network devices, connectivity, and applications. This keeps you in the loop with potential security risks, age and warranty concerns, as well as overall suitability. That way, you can replace or update any components that may cause costly errors later on. Your backup and disaster recovery is also reviewed in an audit, helping to prevent data losses that could land you in a compromised position.
If IT was implemented once and then left to become stagnant, your business would get left behind. This is because evolving IT helps to keep your business on top of its game, regardless of your industry. Without it, you’d just be overtaken by more tech-savvy and proactive competitors… For example, remember Borders bookstore? Founded in 1971, it once had over 1,200 shops and 36,000 employees worldwide. But Borders failed to get into the e-commerce and e-book trend and went bankrupt in 2011.
From transport giant Uber to property hub Airbnb and even payment portal Paypal, some of the most recognisable names in the world are believers in an audit of IT. Whilst some might argue that they simply targeted the right market at the right time, it’s safe to assume that they wouldn’t be as far along without the right IT that evolved as they did. In fact, many of the world’s leading brands review their IT processes every few months in order to introduce more disruptive technologies that will expand their market reach and retain existing clientele.
Evaluating your own IT means that you’ll be able to see how it fairs on a national or even global scale. If you know what else is out there and what the competition is doing to stay ahead, you can ensure that you’re not left behind. Do you know what your competitors are up to? You should…
If you’re looking to take your business to the next level or even remain up to date with new developments, why not chat to the experts? At Conosco, we offer structured audits that are tailored to assess your formal IT processes. We even offer free in-depth IT reviews to all new customers. For more on us and how our audits could impact your business, please contact us today.