While 74% of businesses say they want to be data-driven, only 29% connect their analytics to action. Collecting data is one thing, but using it to create actionable insights is the only way to move forward with data-driven plans.

Commonly, the role ensuring IT and business alignment is a CIO. But for many SMBs, filling such a role is not feasible. That’s where a vCIO comes in. A Virtual Chief Information Officer, vCIO, has the important role of understanding how businesses can leverage IT and technologies and offer strategic IT guidance, planning, analysis, and management.

Most of us know the story of Apollo 13, the ill-fated mission in 1970 by NASA to land astronauts on the moon. In brief, what could go wrong did go wrong, resulting in the crew in space and the engineers on the ground performing miracles to get everyone safely back to earth. It can sometimes feel similar in a business IT department, i.e., dealing with problem after problem just to keep the show on the road.

Automating processes is an excellent way to save employee time on repetitive or multi-step tasks and free up employees for higher-value work. It can also be a stepping stone to your company’s digital transformation.

The main benefit of trusting a managed services provider, or an MSP, is to lower your overall technology costs. However, when you are unable to justify the monthly spend for your MSP, you must act quickly to avoid sinking more costs in a relationship that may not be worth it. 

Take a look at the following seven signs you should switch IT providers as soon as possible.

You don’t need to be in the IT industry to know that technology is essential to every aspect of business. We all get it – IT is important. The problem is that discussions about IT focus too much on technology and all its bells and whistles. It’s time to change that focus.

In this blog, we are going to focus on something different (and more important): business operations and outcomes.

After seeing other companies implement technology projects that have revolutionized business, leaders may realize that incorporating tech into operations has great potential to become profitable. One study that reviewed years of data from more than 400 global companies found that IT investments that enable sales are more likely to increase business profitability than those that help reduce business costs. 

You have an IT project that you would like to get started or a new technology that you want to implement. You know it will have a positive impact on the business, and you know this is the sort of technology or project that your organization needs to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world.

However, your pitch for the initiative fails, and you don't get budget approval.

Most small and medium-sized businesses operate with limited resources. Aligning information technology and business goals maximizes these resources because it helps teams work together towards common goals. This important strategic business concept is commonly known as IT-business alignment.

Take a look at four ways your Connecticut SMB will benefit from aligning technology and business goals.

Spending on technology can either be a sound investment or a costly expense for SMBs. So, what are the issues to take into account to determine whether an IT expense is an investment or a cost for your company?

Take a look at some of the questions we believe you should ask yourself before taking the plunge on a new service, tool, or solution for your Connecticut SMB.