Small Business Challenges

Small businesses (SB's) look to technology systems to provide them competitive advantage, to make them much more productive, and to streamline business processes. Technology systems are now at the heart of operations of most SB's. However, this is a double-edged sword.

Unlike their Corporate Enterprise counter-parts, SB's usually cannot afford to hire the entire range of skill-sets they need to manage their systems. This creates a difficult situation. SB's rely on their systems, but struggle to manage them. The challenges we see many SB's encountering include:

~ Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) - while initial systems prices have dropped, the hidden costs of administrator's salaries often lead to a much higher TCO than many SB's expect. This creates budget complications and drains profitability.

~ Asset Tracking - computer assets represent a significant capital expenditure for most SB's. These assets need to be tracked, monitored, and kept up to date with appropriate software versions. But the time it takes to track these systems, especially mobile assets like notebooks, can defocus administrators away from more productive tasks. SB's are typically challenged to deliver basic service levels, let alone assigning an administrator to time-consuming asset tracking.

~ Productivity - administrators are an expensive but absolutely necessary part of the IT equation. Systems have to be managed and maintained. However, the more administrators can do to manage systems in less time, the more value they bring to an SMB. Because of this, many SB's are seeking tools that will enhance the effectiveness of administrators.

~ Complexity - is the nemesis of SMBs. It drives up costs, TCO, and profit drains. While high-performance machines often deliver specific levels of value and productivity in key areas, they often are so complex that only higher-level and expensive people can manage them. Also, as systems proliferate throughout the business, managing different systems from different manufacturers can lead to challenges.

Having smooth-running and secure information technology (IT) systems can provide a strong competitive advantage and help your business be successful. A work environment based on reliable technology infrastructure has a direct effect on profitability and customer service by promoting productivity, communications and effectiveness. Making sure that all of this happens can be a big challenge however, particularly when you don’t have the expertise or staff to do the job. For most small businesses IT is not a core competency, so sustaining an internal IT department can be inefficient, costly, and distractive.

Mimic Technologies can help enable your business success by helping you effectively use and manage your technology systems. We offer a range of technology services that can help you address these challenges and come out ahead of your competition.  We pride ourselves on becoming very involved with your business, an effectively becoming your company's fully staffed Virtual Technology Department.

To get a better idea of how our services can benefit your business, please download our free special report,
"Why Hire a Technology Services Provider for your Small Business".