The Shoe’s on the Other Foot Now!

Written by Steve Ross

Every day we advise clients on their IT requirements – it’s what we do. Well – guess what? The time has come again to look at our IT infrastructure. Now I know how our clients feel!

As you would expect from an IT company, we’ve invested a lot into our own systems over the years. However, like every business, time marches on and it’s now essential to take a fresh look and make some decisions!

Questions We’re Asking Ourselves

The thing is, I’m now thinking like a client. While this is an “internal” project, our team will apply the same principles as they would to a “real” project for a client. With that in mind, I’m asking myself the following questions:

Can we just get along with what we have?
Do we need to invest now or can it wait?
How much will it cost?
Will we have to outlay a lot of money or can we lease; paying a monthly amount instead?
Can we move everything to the Cloud?
Do we still need servers?
How long will the project take?
Will it be carried out over a weekend?
Are we looking at a different backup solution?
Do we also need to purchase new laptops/PCs?
What about Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity solutions – do we need to refresh?

It makes you think about other factors too – what the disruption to the business will be? How can we fit this in with the busy working schedule we have for our own clients?

Understanding the Need to Invest in IT

I suppose it’s a good problem to have, but one that we can’t ignore. Our business is growing and we need to re-invest to get to the next level.

But I can’t help but chuckle to myself. I know that soon I’ll be reviewing proposals from the team, asking “does it really cost that?” (YES – it does), “Does it take that long to implement?” (YES – if you want it done properly) and “Are there other cheaper backup solutions out there?” (Yes – but Steve – how much do you value Shackleton’s data?). These are all questions I know clients ask themselves in exactly the same situation.

Which Questions Should You Be Asking?

Incidentally, these are great questions to ask. You must be sure that what you are getting fits your company’s needs now and in the future. Also, it’s a big investment and you don’t want to be doing it all again any time soon.

So, wish me well as I go through the process. I’ll be guided by our team, satisfied with the recommendations they provide and placing my trust in guys that genuinely want the best for me as their client.

I’m glad I have the Shackleton team in my corner.

If you understand the need to invest in your IT systems future, contact Shackleton today!