Until recently, evaluating her business technology needs didn’t seem like a priority for Kendra M. Coleman. “As a small business owner in consulting with a do-it-yourself IT department, I spend most of my time traveling and working hands-on with clients,” explains Coleman, who runs Chicago-based Kindred Organizational Consulting, Inc. “The last thing I have time for is a proactive technology review.” But then Coleman started thinking about “how much time, money and space I am wasting relying on old technology systems and applications, including landlines, fax machines and laptops.” Coleman decided to block out time to analyze her use of technology. As a new year begins, it’s a good time for all small to mid-sized businesses to do the same. Emerging technology today offers you powerful tools to compete against bigger players in the marketplace. But managing those tools can be difficult, unwieldy and time-consuming, and many small business owners, like Coleman, are still trying to handle the tech side of the business on their own. It’s time to make new resolutions about how you’ll handle your tech needs. IT and cloud computing experts and consultants say you should target these five areas in 2011: 1. Consider hiring outside IT help If you’re spending more time on tech needs and woes than on your business mission or if your tech systems are hampering your business mission, it’s probably time to find help, say the experts. “For businesses smaller than 100 employees, it typically makes no sense to hire an in-house IT guy,” says Bobby Kuzma, who works with small businesses as president of Orlando-based Central Florida Technology Solutions, Inc. “Most business professionals aren’t technology professionals. They don’t live and breathe this stuff.” You’ll also need to evaluate how much of your IT operations you want to outsource. “We can be their entire IT department or we can work with an organization where we augment their internal IT,” notes Jim Lippie, president of Thrive Networks, the IT network service business of Staples Advantage. 2. Evaluate the cloud Cloud computing will continue to dominate headlines in 2011. “The advent of inexpensive cloud-based solutions mean that owners have access to enterprise-class, robust and reliable services on a small-business scale basis,” says John Baschab, senior vice president at Technisource, which provides IT solutions for business. You’ll find your best opportunities to maximize the cloud in e-mail solutions, back office help, sales force automation, remote backup and file-sharing, advises Baschab. Look for ways you can replicate “Fortune 500″ functionality, says Scott Albro, CEO of Focus, which offers free business advice and consulting. Take a look at what the big players in your industry are doing and see if you can find cloud solutions that help you compete. Pull together a plan that considers potential security and backup exposures or gaps, and have a professional review that plan. “Make sure you’re completely educated before making any drastic decisions,” cautions Lippie. “The cloud movement is still maturing.” 3. Focus on business first “Don’t focus on the technology,” advises Connie Certusi, General Manager for Sage Business Solutions’ Small Business Accounting Solutions. “Know what your business needs and then consider the supporting technology to answer those needs.” Businesses can become enamored of the latest tech gizmos, says Certusi, without thinking about how the technology will fit with their tech needs. “Know what you need, then look for the solution — not the other way around.” 4. Have a back-up plan “I’ll often ask new clients, ‘What was the result the last time you tested your disaster recovery plan?’ knowing that the answer will usually be ‘What plan?’” says Kuzma. “Seventy-five percent of small businesses that I see in disaster-prone Florida have no concrete disaster recovery plan, and half of those don’t even have a good working backup.” Without a disaster recovery plan and a backup solution, your business’s existence is on the line. Consider automating your back process, advises Lippie. The cost is dropping for data backup appliances, and the cloud also offers back up alternatives. 5. Invest in sales and marketing tech The ongoing challenging economic climate means weak demand, says Albro. So it makes sense to target tech investments that help you improve sales and marketing. “Understand the key moments of truth where customers make decisions about doing business with you,” says Certusi. “Analyze where your processes fail to meet customer expectations and target technology that can create tangible improvements.” Once Coleman committed the time to evaluating her usage of technology, she made what she considers another wise decision. “I leveraged my network,” she says. “I’m pretty decent technology-wise, but I don’t have time to stay on top of market trends. To supplement my own knowledge, I reach out to others to find out what works for them. I also know a few key IT experts who provide me advice.”
