2. Some important points...
www.itaccessed.com
No techno-speak!
We hope you’ll learn about some management approaches to IT that
you can apply to the benefit of your businesses.
Mixture of current best practice, experiences and predictions for
the future.
Not just for medium or large size businesses. Apply in some way to
all organisations - including sole traders.
More to be found on our website and in our Quick Tips.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
3. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
7
Use the “golf
course” strategy
© 2011 IT Accessed Ltd
4. www.itaccessed.com
Use the “golf course” strategy
i.e. Adopt methods recommended by friends and acquaintances.
What works for him/her may not be best for you.
Beware the gadget fiend and “the latest thing” for its own sake.
A bad decision can cost you money and lost opportunities for years.
To avoid wasting money:
Don’t underestimate the
complexity and the range of
choices – it’s YOUR business.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
5. Predictions:
www.itaccessed.com
“By 2015, 10% of your online ‘friends’ will be non-human”.*
A company, a brand, a group, a computer package...
“By 2015, the estimate is that 50% of web sales will be driven by ‘social
presence’ & mobile applications”.*
Growing focus on “appropriate interaction” rather than broadcast.
“Organisations that discover or develop ways to achieve this on a
broad scale will gain competitive advantage over those who can’t or
won’t.”*
* Gartner Report 2011
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
6. A current example of potential “golf course” thinking is
the pressure we are under to use social media:
www.itaccessed.com
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
7. www.itaccessed.com
The number of options for using social media is growing.
Don’t rush into the world of Linked In, Twitter, Facebook etc. unless
you have a strategy.
Is your choice going to stay around?
Their use needs to be relevant to your audience and your available
resource.
Statements must always be appropriate - it is easy to be
misinterpreted.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
8. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT...
www.itaccessed.com
6
Have unstable,
insecure systems,
computerised
chaos & operate
illegally
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
9. www.itaccessed.com
Have unstable, insecure systems.
Technical:
Can you be sure your systems and data are secure?
If it’s your business it’s your responsibility.
An insecure system is also unstable.
To avoid wasting money: Get a strategy in place and stick to it.
People:
For example: do you know what your employees are downloading?,
Would they divulge their password on the phone?
Usage policy.
To avoid wasting money: Review training and procedures –
have an “acceptable use” policy.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
10. Prediction:
www.itaccessed.com
“By 2015, a G20 nation’s critical infrastructure will be disrupted and damaged
by online sabotage.”*
The best prepared companies will survive with least damage.
* Gartner Report 2011
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
11. www.itaccessed.com
Computerise Chaos.
While very small companies may be able to function effectively
without formalising and standardising back office processes, as
they grow, efficiency and control suffers.
The more standard the process, the more easily it is automated,
adding speed and efficiency.
To avoid wasting money: Don’t computerise chaos.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
12. www.itaccessed.com
Operate illegally.
Is your website legal?
Are your e-mails legal? New regulations and investigative powers
have come in last few months (UK).
Are you complying with the Data Protection Act (UK)?
If you are not complying with these you could be sending out the
wrong message about your business.
To avoid wasting money:
“Be Right and Proper”
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
13. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
5
View IT as a
utility, a
necessary evil
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
14. www.itaccessed.com
View IT as a utility, a necessary evil.
You’ll miss opportunities if you’re not innovative in your thinking
about IT. Be imaginative.
Look at the problems of music retailers that failed to address MP3
technology.
Consider new services at low costs.
Be aware of new technology (e.g. ‘apps‘).
Look for new ways of promotion.
Consider new ways of working collaboratively – inside and
outside your company.
Your IT capability is part of your brand image and reputation.
To avoid wasting money: Be proactive – think of IT as an
opportunity to progress your
business.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
15. www.itaccessed.com
Predictions:
“By 2015 the valuation of a business will explicitly include IT assets &
capabilities.” *Paraphrased.
“In the next few years, most companies will expect to use IT to create new
revenue streams.” *Paraphrased.
“By 2015, 20% of non-IT Global 500 companies will be cloud service
providers”*
* Gartner Report 2011
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
16. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
4
Don’t train
people to get the
most from IT
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
17. www.itaccessed.com
Don’t train people to get the most from IT.
Often people are not aware of the all the features in your current
software.
You might think your current system can’t do something and pay to
replace it.
You or your people might come up with some really good ideas if they
better understand the software’s features.
Misuse through lack of training causes stability, legal, commercial and
maintenance issues.
On the job training can work very well with software.
Well trained people may be able to contribute good ideas for new
revenue streams or cost savings using IT.
To avoid wasting money:
Regularly review training
requirements.
Consider giving people time to
experiment.
© 2013 IT Accessed
Ltd
18. Prediction:
www.itaccessed.com
“By 2015 information-smart businesses will increase recognised IT spending
per head by 60%.” * A lot of this is down to a more IT savvy workforce.
Could be as a result of lower head-counts or increased IT costs
driven by revenue opportunities.
With innovative, streamlined and stable systems in place – you’ll be
in a good position to take advantage of an end to the recession
WITHOUT increasing costs.
With innovative, streamlined and stable systems in place alongside well trained people – you’ll be in a good position to lower
prices while maintaining your margins.
* Gartner Report 2011
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
19. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
3
Don’t invest the time
to understand what
you need and the
resources needed to
implement it
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
20. www.itaccessed.com
Don’t invest the time to understand what you need, know exactly
what you’re buying and the resources it will require to implement.
In summary you need good project management – ideally, in our
opinion, from inside your company.
There are lots of decisions to be made. All software packages are unique
– they each do things differently.
If you buy a package you will have to change they way you do things
to match the package – how much you change depends on how well
the package fits the way you want to work.
Bespoke software is designed to work how you want it to – it can be
more expensive, but you only need to pay for the features you will use.
Remember: don’t computerise chaos.
To avoid wasting money: Invest the time to understand what
you need and the resources
needed to implement it.
© 2013 IT Accessed
Ltd
21. Prediction:
www.itaccessed.com
“There are hundreds, perhaps millions of software choices and millions of
different ways to use the software – and it’s going to get worse!”
IT Accessed.
Going through a period of great change and shake out.
IT cheaper than ever.
So it’s your management that is the key.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
22. www.itaccessed.com
Horror Stories
Top US sports brand: $100 million in lost sales, a 20 percent share
dip and a collection of class-action lawsuits.
UK Supermarket October 2006: giant British food retailer had to
write off approx. £350 million investment in an automated supplychain management system.
Printer manufacturer: project eventually cost them $160 million in
order backlogs and lost revenue.
Etc, etc, etc.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
23. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
2
Forget the
people side
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
24. www.itaccessed.com
Forget the people side.
People find workarounds – you might not be aware of a lot of “hidden”
effort going on just to “feed” the computer!”
With a new system people’s jobs can change dramatically.
People can feel threatened.
Implementing new systems can stretch people to breaking point.
Opportunities for people to shine.
Data collection and routine IT tasks can be automated more cost
effectively than ever.
So the people you have are more important for an IT change’s success
than the software.
To avoid wasting money: Be people-focused from the start.
No matter how small the change.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
25. Prediction:
www.itaccessed.com
“By 2014, 90% of organisations will support corporate applications
on personal devices.”*
Need to have ability to work effectively but still enforcing IT policies.
Staff will be using more than one device each.
* Gartner Report 2011
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
26. 7 Ways to Waste Money on IT.
Countdown!!!
www.itaccessed.com
7
Use the “golf course” strategy.
6
Have unstable, insecure systems, Do IT right!
computerised chaos & operate
illegally.
5
View IT as a utility – a necessary Be proactive – think of IT as an
evil.
opportunity to progress your business.
4
Don’t train people to get the most Regularly review training requirements.
from IT.
Allow experimentation.
3
Don’t invest the time to
understand what you need and
the resources needed to
implement it.
Invest the time and be clear about the
resources required!
2
Forget the people side.
Be people focused.
No matter how small the change.
Remember what works for them may
not be best for you.
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
27. The Number 1 Way to Waste Money on IT
www.itaccessed.com
1
Consider IT
solutions
separately from
your business
strategy
Always consider
what you are
trying to achieve
for your business
before making IT
decisions.
Contact IT Accessed
Bridging the gap between IT and Business
© 2013 IT Accessed Ltd
28. Joke: The IT Engineer and the
Manager
•
A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a
man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts: "Excuse me, can you help me? I
promised my friend I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am.“
•
The man below says: "Yes. You are in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above
this field. You are between 40 and 42 degrees N. latitude, and between 58 and 60 degrees W.
longitude.“
•
"You must be in IT," says the balloonist.
•
"I am," replies the man. "How did you know?“
•
"Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but I have no
idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost.
•
"The man below says, "You must be a manager.“
•
"I am," replies the balloonist, "but how did you know?“
•
"Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you are going. You have made a
promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The
fact is you are in the exact same position you were in before we met, but now it is somehow my
fault."
