Far too many business leaders fail to look at their IT infrastructure in a deeper way that goes beyond simple dollars and cents. They think "If I'm spending X number of dollars on a piece of equipment, it needs to generate at least Y dollars in return to be a worthy investment." While this makes sense on paper, it fails to uncover the bigger picture: that technology is a valuable long-term business asset when executed strategically.
This is one of the many reasons why knowing where your business stands on the Tech maturity scale is so important. Remember - nobody starts out on the scale at level 3. Rome wasn't built in a day, and your foundation of optimised IT resources won't be, either. Based on how you're using IT today, the scale will give you a "bigger picture" understanding of the effects of what you've already done and, most critically, what you still have left to do to in terms of your business strategy to get where you need to be.
Maturity Level 1: Foundation
If your business falls on this first level of the IT maturity scale, you likely either have very little or no evidence of some of the following activities happening within this category. While you may have had some modest discussions with your team over how to use your IT resources and why they're important, you probably don't have any documented plans in place to back that up. You also likely lack the dedicated resources or commitments from key stakeholders to really take your IT efforts to the next level.
Maturity Level 2: Stability
If your business reaches this level of the IT maturity scale, the processes and the ways in which you're using technology are a little more defined, understood and finely implemented than before. You've begun to put a little more thought into what resources you need, what they're supposed to do and why they matter beyond simple dollars and cents.
Maturity Level 3: Advantage
If you're lucky enough to reach this stage in the scale, you no longer work for your IT - your IT works for you. Thanks to a rock solid foundation of well-defined processes and inputs, you now have strong connections between IT and related business processes. You're also now likely enjoying some or all of the following benefits:
Where Does Your Business Stand?
The maturity of your business IT tells you a great deal more than just how long it will be before it's time for another equipment upgrade. In many ways, it's a guide that shows you how well your existing IT resources are aligned with your current and future goals.
This is one of the many reasons why hiring IT consultants is such an important step to take. You're doing more than just selecting a solutions provider - you're generating the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing both that your technological foundation can support the business you're trying to run today AND that it will allow you to grow and evolve into the organization you hope to be spearheading tomorrow. If you want to reach level 3 on the maturity scale, hiring a consultant is the best way to do it. Take the Tech Maturity Assessment below and diagnose where your business sits.
If you'd like to find out more about the business IT maturity scale, or if you have any additional questions about IT consultations in general, please feel free to contact Lanrex today.