As a startup, it’s important to make smart investments with your capital in order to maximize the return and have the most possible business impact. Well-funded startups can sometimes spend money in the wrong areas. Here are our best tips on where startups should invest their money when it comes to business technology:
1. An IT Consultant
No one knows your business like you do, but know one knows technology as well as an IT consultant. An experienced, reputable IT consultant is going to be able to hash out your business process strategy and align it with the technology that will best serve that. Based on your long term goals, number of employees, and other factors they can work with an engineer to map out your network and budget for the long term. Rather than making blind purchases for workstations and technology without aligning everything to your goals and business, make the investment first in a consultant that can start you on the right path and give you a comprehensive strategy for your technology in the long term.
2. Your business application
There’s going to be a lot in your day to day operations that would ideally be automated. While startups are typically very innovative organizations – there’s almost always some sort of line of business application that can help you be more efficient. Whether that’s a cloud-based storage application, project management software or customer relationship management software, you need something that will make you business more efficient. Your IT consultant can often make this recommendation, but without a doubt, your main business applications should be part of your initial business technology investment.
3. Hardware
From workstations to laptops, mobile devices, servers, network equipment and beyond – you’re going to have to purchase all of these things. Your IT consultant will likely suggest that you purchase them new so that they’re in warranty and have a replacement cycle that runs 3-5 years to ensure optimal efficiency for your employees and the integration of new and emerging technologies. This keeps your employees efficient and your costs predictable, which investors and executives like to see.
While this is just a basic list of investment items, it gives you a good idea of where to start. Feel free to explore AAACreditGuide to know all of your financial options. Always make sure that you vet out your IT consultant and to ensure that he or she has your best interests at heart. A biased IT consultant could just be looking out for themselves. Once you’ve established a relationship with a reputable consultant, all the pieces and understanding the comprehensive investment will fall into place.