As business owners, what can we do better in 2020? One of my own personal steps for review is a careful (often painful) review of my budget. I try to be brutally honest with myself about what worked and what didn’t and be honest about how well I understand everything I spend operating money on. An example is understanding how metrics measure potential ROI for marketing. For our clients at Aptica, it’s knowing whether they are winning or losing with technology–did they got the most bang for their bucks?

Remind Me Why My Technology Is Important?

Information technology (IT) describes technology that powers or enables the storage, processing and information flow within an organization. Anything involved with computers, software, internal networks, the Internet, Web sites, servers, databases, and telecommunications falls under the IT umbrella. I’m pretty sure that, in your business, you use all of the above to some degree. Most modern businesses depend heavily on information systems, from employee e-mail to database management to e-commerce Web sites. Hospitals and manufacturers have large databases to maintain. Universities and service providers have sprawling networks to administer. Even a small, home-based cookie business needs an order-tracking system. Having always-on and functioning IT is now as second-nature to us as checking our smartphones often. It’s important to know if your IT is working at a capacity to help maximize your business goals.

You Do Not Have To Geek-Out Yourself

You need a trusted IT service provider who gives you both regularly scheduled and on-demand updates about your IT system.

• Your reports should be in an everyday language you can understand in terms of your particular enterprise.
• You should be at ease calling on your Managed Service Provider for any reason and at any time.
• There should be no ugly surprises when it comes to technology expenses.
• You should be able to see how budget recommendations from your MSP will save you money in the long run.
• You should know the daily advantages of good IT management, from the length of time to boot up in the morning to data recovery time in case of cybercrime.

If you haven’t already done so, make 2020 the year you focus on how good IT can serve and support your business goals. Whether you’re in an expansion year or a maintenance year, a Managed Service Provider you can trust will be your best partner for staying in business. Your IT support company should be as reliable as your legal advisor, your tax accountant, and your insurance provider.

Let Aptica’s 18 years of experience serve your small business IT needs. It starts with a conversation about what you want, what you need, and how Aptica can address both.

Jason Newburg, 260.243.5100, ext 2101, is the founder and owner of Aptica LLC. This IT management and support company has been serving small to medium-sized businesses for 16 years in the region that includes Angola, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, IN, Battle Creek, MI, and Toledo OH.