Are you looking to improve the way your business operates, using technology to overcome some of the challenges your organization faces? Then there’s no doubt that you have come across the term IT solutions.
IT solutions have become significantly more important to businesses over the past decade, as technology has brought with it limitless possibilities to how organizations operate and grow. Technology can be used to automate processes, reduce business costs, enhance employee performance, and even reach new customers.
As technologies evolve and the list of options grows wider, companies are increasingly scrutinizing what their iT budgets are spent on.
According to SWZD, IT budgets in 2022 will focus on hardware solutions (30 percent), software solutions (28 percent), moving toward hosted/cloud-based services (26 percent), and managed services spend (17 percent).
The study says: “As IT buyers scope out solutions, the specific factors pushing businesses to pull the trigger on acquiring new hardware, software, and services remain relatively the same as in previous years, with a few exceptions. In general, technology end-of-life, upgrade/refresh cycles, and company growth will continue to be the biggest drivers of new technology investments in 2022.”
IT solutions come in a variety of forms, and many companies don’t truly understand what IT solutions are. With that in mind, in this blog we’re going to look at what an IT solution is, who provides businesses with IT solutions and how they can benefit your business.
IT solutions definition
IT solutions, also known as IT business solutions, are a collection of software, applications, programs and IT services that are offered to companies in an effort to support specific business processes or address particular challenges.
These technologies are labelled as solutions to promote the idea that purchasing the product or service will help businesses deal with a specific challenge that they are facing.
Solutions are typically one off technologies that make up a broader IT strategy. For example antivirus is an IT solution that prevents, detects and removes malware, but it’s just one piece of software out of many that make up a company’s cybersecurity strategy.
IT solutions are integrated into a businesses’ processes for a number of reasons, including in an effort to make business operations more seamless, improve productivity, achieve greater ROI, deliver better customer experiences, improve team collaboration and to automate specific tasks.
Simply put, IT solutions are used by companies to gain a strategic advantage.
What types of IT solutions are there?
There are a wide range of IT solutions, and each one is designed to solve a particular challenge that your business is facing. Some of the top IT solutions include:
Technical support
Technical support is an IT solution in which a team of IT experts offer assistance for various technology-related problems that your business encounters. Tech support can be supported by an on-site team or by an outsourced IT provider.
Cybersecurity solutions
Cybersecurity is a combination of solutions that protect your organization from both external malicious breaches and internal human error. These solutions aim to ensure your organization is safe from the threat of cybercrime, as well as complies with data privacy regulations in the regions that you operate.
Communication and collaboration solutions
Communication and collaboration solutions are the technologies your business has in place for both internal and external communication. These solutions typically include, telephone system, VoIP phone systems, video conferencing, email and chatbots.
Network and infrastructure
The backbone that support your business, network and infrastructure solutions are the programs and computers that support your company’s processes. Network and infrastructure is a combination of hardware equipment and software.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing solutions include a range of technologies that are delivered over ‘the cloud’, or internet. Cloud computing is often used as a solution to enhance remote work, improve stage and data hosting, and build flexible business processes.
Managed IT services
This is the process of outsourcing the responsibility for maintaining and enhancing your IT solutions. A third-party IT expert will manage your IT solutions and ensure you have the technologies you need to improve operations and reduce the costs associated with internal IT staff.
Who provides IT solutions?
There are a number of ways that businesses can purchase IT solutions in Ontario, whether through the development of the technology themselves or through IT providers.
IT solutions like hardware and software can be purchased directly from the developers, although this is normally only recommended for companies that have large internal IT teams and have the time, money and resources to research which solutions will best help them achieve their goals.
For small and medium-sized businesses, it’s typically recommended that they purchase IT solutions through an IT provider. An It expert, such as OT Group, will be able to take the time to learn about the company’s challenges and requirements, and then recommend an IT solution that will best work for their needs.
Are you interested in learning more about IT solutions, and how the OT Group of technology experts in Ontario can help your business? Get in touch with us today.