It’s no secret that your customers and employees want an innovative experience with your company’s technology. Outdated technology can seriously impact employee happiness and productivity, not to mention the affect on your bottom line. By exploring new technologies and new applications, you can eliminate steps from your workflow, increasing efficiency significantly. While many companies see themselves as progressive, technology can quickly become out of date if there is no proactive planning or guidance when it comes to innovation. Here are a few signs your company technology is outdated and what you can do about it.
According to Todd Thibodeaux, CEO of CompTIA, “An employers tech-savviness is very high on a Millennials’ checklist on whether to take a job or not. Outdated technology might prevent you from hiring the best and brightest and send them scurrying to your competitors.” In fact, according to Microsoft, two-thirds of 22 to 29-year-old workers judge their employers by their technical knowledge. If you’re running interviews with well-qualified candidates and losing them to your competition, you might have issues with outdated technology.
You’re losing customers to competitors.
While a number of factors can come into play when it comes to customers, we’ve mentioned the statistic that 9 out of 10 customers would consider taking their business elsewhere rather than working with a company that uses outdated technology. Customers, like employees, want to know that the businesses that they choose to give their money to are innovative. If they believe that your competitor is more tech-savvy than you, you could lose them. You can find some tips in Jake’s recent article: how to foster loyal customers by updating technology.
Many of your processes are still handled offline, without technology.
Just because your operations seem to be running smoothly doesn’t mean they can’t be improved. Something as simple as adding mobility with cloud applications and tablets could help mobile employees work from the road and complete tasks more efficiently than they might if they had to go to the office to complete them, saving time. Consider where there are bottlenecks in your process or where information is handled manually. These are perfect places to consider inserting new applications.
It’s not always about who you can’t hire – it’s also about who already works for you and their experience with your technology. In our recent blog from operations expert, Buddy Martin, he addressed a few keys to happier employees. Regular technology surveys will give you firsthand insight into inefficiencies and how outdated your current technology is.
Being the most innovative company requires constant forethought and research. It requires the help of a well-versed IT partner and their resources to help you grow. If you are struggling to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to company technology, gain on your competitors by implementing a strategic technology plan. Take the tips in this article into account and start surveying employees and identifying inefficiencies in your company that can be fixed with technology. If you’re making a conscious effort to research and invest in emerging technologies, you’ll see changes in your bottom line, customers and employees.