Don’t Plan Too Far Ahead with Your Business IT

Have you ever had things not go according to plan? It can be an incredibly frustrating experience, especially when assets and business resources are involved. This is also true in the realm of business technology, so today, we want to cover how you can invest in the future of your business without getting too far ahead—including with your IT resources.

You Should Plan Your IT Ahead of Time

You want your business to work as intended, and to ensure this happens without a hitch, you want to prioritize IT planning.

IT is more than just picking the right solutions. It also involves security measures and preventative actions that keep your business’ reputation and data protections intact. Without these solutions and policies in place, your company might not keep operations running smoothly.

Long-term planning might seem like the appropriate solution to this dilemma, but there are several reasons why it might result in wasted time and resources.

Technology is Always Changing

We live in a time when technology is rapidly growing and changing.

The same tools a business used ten years ago are either obsolete or changed so profoundly that they don’t even resemble what existed before. If your business commits to a long-term plan, you’ll end up with outdated technology before implementing every solution it outlines. We recommend you keep IT planning flexible so you can adopt solutions as they come along.

Otherwise, you’re locking yourself into a needlessly strict plan that harms more than it helps.

You Have Limited Resources

Your business only has so much capital—both financial and human—to go around.

You can’t go all-in on an IT infrastructure if it comes at the cost of the other assets that keep your business running. A good IT plan will focus on what your business needs now and in the near future, leaving room to change and grow alongside your business. It should avoid overspending or overtaxing your resources as much as possible.

All of that to say yes, it is possible to overspend on IT, and you should be careful not to let it happen to yourself.

Your Business’ Needs Will Change

Small businesses often have to make quick decisions regarding their operations and the market, but this doesn’t exactly factor well into business planning.

What works well for your business today might not work out so well for you two or three years later. If you plan too far ahead, your IT systems might go unused, leading to wasted resources on your part. You should plan according to short-term goals and adjust the plan as your needs change.

Various technologies out there can help your business manage this burden, such as cloud scaling.

The Bottom Line: Prioritize Flexibility and Immediate Needs

You know we like to talk about proactive measures, but this is one situation where thinking too far ahead will set you back.

Small businesses should focus on a flexible IT plan that addresses immediate needs while also planning for the next few years… without fixating on the distant future. A short-term plan lets you adjust and accommodate change—an inevitability in technology. You’ll avoid overplanning while still taking advantage of technology that moves your business forward, in the right direction.

For assistance with planning your IT, reach out to Washington Works at 301-571-5040.