The importance of flexible tech partners for business stability and growth

As we welcome the new year – following one that was particularly difficult for many businesses across the globe – we’re taking a look into tech partners that are able to accommodate rapid or unexpected downsizing or growth within your business. Read on to find out more about why it’s wise to consider partners with a variety of packages when making tech commitments, especially as we move forward into a quickly evolving digital landscape.

How to know when your tech needs are changing

With an increased need for cloud communications as a result of a change in employee numbers, orders and overall growth, many businesses have seen shifts in their tech needs in a range of areas, teams and departments over the past year.

If one area of your business picks up while another part slows, it may be possible to simply restructure or redistribute your services and equipment to compensate, without any larger changes. However, if you’re constantly under or overusing any of your services - which then impacts finances or productivity - it’s likely the technological needs of your business have changed. If you’re still not sure, some other signs it’s time to adjust your technology or digital service packages could be:

Slow broadband and connection speeds

Staff frustration with inadequate tech, leading to a lack of productivity

Recurrent system or process failures

Security breaches or concerns

Hardware and software compatibility issues

Overcomplicated systems and processes

Issues accessing servers and drives

Changing working arrangements

Latency on calls or during communications

A significantly larger or smaller workforce

New ventures or services offered

Reduced or increased business

It’s likely you’ll have to assess your IT infrastructure more than once throughout the life of your business. As your team and operations expand, you’ll need access to more equipment and digital services – and if you need to make cutbacks in the interest of stability, you may want to reduce these.

What is scalability

It’s likely you will have come across this buzzword with investors and other businesses, but what does scalability really mean? In terms of IT infrastructure, scalability is your ability to keep up with growth and reduction in the size of your business – whether within your team, processes, or customer demand.

You can consider your system scalable if you can successfully increase your output and input as the needs of your organisation develop. If you know that there’s a limit to your current system’s capacity, that can’t easily be upgraded with software or expansions, this could indicate your current system is not scalable.

Implementing systems that are scalable is key to futureproofing your business – with technology that has longevity and is regularly updated, you can be sure your business is ready to respond to future challenges. Without a scalable infrastructure, there’s a limit to how much your system can handle and produce – this can lead to stunted profitability, and the prevention of a growing organisation that can easily adapt to increasing (or decreasing) demand.

Ensuring your tech model allows for stability and growth

If you’ve highlighted a need for adjustments to your IT infrastructure, but you’re not certain if the growth or reductions currently being made will be final, it’s best to consider a tech partner that allows for flexibility so you can scale up and scale down your technology as required. Working with a flexible tech partner is essential for businesses attempting to achieve stability or growth, as your tech packages can be easily adjusted without long processes, contract issues or hefty termination fees.

A partner with tech packages that can grow with your business can not only save switching costs in the long run, but also ensures agility as you grow your team. It means you can easily add to your network or infrastructure without complication or disruption to your processes.

Finding flexible organisations to work with

While flexible tech partners may seem like an obvious choice, knowing what to look out for can be your next obstacle. If you’re aiming to improve the scalability of your own IT infrastructure, here’s the best way to find organisations that offer the flexibility you need:

Research the products that the partner has available - are these rigid packages or can you add or remove elements that you will or won't use? Is there a wide range of products available? Do they seem to be innovating and updating their product portfolio regularly?
Have a look for case studies for the kind of businesses they work with already. Is there a range of businesses or do they tend to cater for a certain size or industry? If you're at the stage of choosing a new provider speak to them and get a feel for their approach. Do they listen to your individual needs and suggest the right products for you at the moment or are they trying to push products you don't need?
Consider their business outlook. Do they have brand values that seem sustainable and long-term? Would you be proud to be associated with them, and how do you think you'd work together in the long-term?

What next?

Need a hand improving the scalability and flexibility of your business tech model? Our team is always on hand to help – get in touch for further advice. For more helpful information surrounding technology and digital navigation for your business, take a look at the other resources available over on the ThoughtHub.