A warm welcome back to our Smartlogic blog! We are back this time to take a look at one of the standard services that any good I.T. services provider worth their salt should be offering you. An I.T. systems assessment/audit/inspection would no doubt be a phrase you have heard before if you’ve been looking to change providers at some point. But what does it actually mean? In this blog, we’ll dive into what the process involves and most importantly, why you need one done regularly!
What is an I.T. Systems Assessment?
At its core, an ‘I.T. Systems Assessment’ is a review of a company’s technology ecosystem, usually carried out by an I.T. professional of some capacity.
The I.T. professional will evaluate the hardware, software, network and security system that your business currently uses. They will also look at how these systems are used by employees and if they align with the business’ goals, a ‘fit for purpose’ check if you will.
It’s a good idea to get a third-party provider to conduct this for you every now and then because it helps give an idea of whether your existing I.T. provider is on the ball and if your systems are right for your business.
Why Do I Need an I.T. Systems Assessment?
There are four main reasons why you might consider conducting one of these for your business.
Security:
The first and arguably the paramount reason for conducting an assessment would be security. With hacks, data thefts, phishing and scams a widespread issue, keeping data protected should be top of mind for businesses. A good I.T. systems assessment can find gaps in firewalls and other areas that are at risk of being breached. Thus, helping businesses to implement stronger security protocols to protect their data and digital assets.
Business Goals:
Think about how many times a day you access your work email, company cloud and use I.T. of some sort for your work, even counting the office Wi-Fi! I.T. and the internet has become an irreplaceable part of working life such that having the wrong systems in place could seriously affect your business’ productivity and results. That’s why it’s a good idea to get a third party to provide a second opinion on your I.T. ecosystem and whether it matches the needs of your business.
Improvement:
As touched on in the two above points, getting a second opinion from an external I.T. provider can help identify areas of improvement in your business’ I.T. ecosystem. Be it simple things like spam filters for your email to more complex cloud technology. The sum of which can result in increased productivity and profitability for your business. That’s the bottom line!
Future Planning:
Lastly, another important benefit of getting an external I.T. professional to conduct a systems assessment is the help you can get in planning ahead. An assessment conducted by a knowledgeable professional can advise you on hardware and software that may need to be replaced in the near future. Other than that, looking at the report with a futuristic lens can help I.T. support decision making that will adapt with the company’s future as it grows.
Book an I.T. Systems Assessment for Your Business, On Us!
To book a free I.T. Systems Assessment with Smartlogic, normally worth $660, please fill in the form below and we will be in touch:
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