Investing in New Technology – A Step-by-Step Initiative

By investing in cutting edge technology, your business can gain an upper hand on industry competition.

The financial commitment has its risks, but when you combine an Information Technology (IT) program with your corporate goals and strategies, the alignment can provide a critical benefit in attaining innovation, growth and success.

Carrying out a few key initiatives within a well-constructed plan can save you time and money. Here are some actions to consider:

Research Your Firm’s IT Needs

The first step is researching your company’s technological needs. What falls in line with your organization’s growth?

• Consult your department heads to find out what they need.
• Talk to your peers in the industry. Find out what they are doing.
• Contact your vendors. Let them do the research for you and tell you what you may need. They’ll also let you know what others in the industry are using and doing.

The architectural/engineering/construction (A/E/C) industry continues to act as a beta site for testing and improving technological processes. This is because of the constant flexibility, mobility and communication needed at jobsites. The flow of information between clients, staff, partners and vendors is growing more efficient, while mobile technologies such as laptops, blackberries and wireless cards continue to improve productivity. Remote access platforms are consistently improving and software applications are being put to the test in order to quicken processes while cutting operational costs.

Establish an In-House IT Task Force

Establishing an in-house task force is imperative in order to advance technology within an organization. The task force should incorporate representatives from your finance, project management and operations departments.  They can tell you what their employees need and what will make them work more efficiently.  They bring a fresh stream of new ideas to the table.  Keep in mind that what the IT manager/director may want isn’t necessarily what the company needs.

This task force also helps you prioritize daily IT tasks and initiatives. These gatekeepers are vital as they can help enforce company policy, monitor the developments of their departments and maintain progress of all projects.

Create an IT Budget

Developing an IT budget requires input from all departments. When creating a budget:

• Use historical data as a point of reference.  By looking at what you have spent in previous years, you can gauge what your future needs will be.
• Include a contingency plan. Give yourself enough room to handle the unexpected-new hires, virus upgrades/patches, etc. Be sure to include implementation costs, not just hardware and software costs.  Training is crucial in the development of a product company-wide.
• Get costs from at least three to four vendors for best pricing and continuity. Compare apples to apples.
• Put items into your budget that will provide a quick return on investment, such as firewalls and antivirus software.
• Allocate money for a disaster recovery system so that your IT infrastructure remains secure should a disaster affect your organization.  It’s imperative to invest in back-up servers, off-site database storage, etc., so that the outcomes of a disaster will be minimized, and the organization will be able to either maintain or quickly resume mission-critical functions.

Develop an IT Strategy

The next step is getting buy-in from the top down. Make it a point to map out a Company Improvement Strategy (CIS) with IT as a key initiative. Present it to the CEO, president, vice president and CFO. Promote the goals internally via newsletters, intranet and word-of-mouth.  Offer technology seminars for your employees so that they are in tune with the company’s program.  After all, IT affects them on a daily basis.

Your strategy will also help you develop the road map for meeting the company goals that need to be achieved.

Partner with Vendors

Due to increasing mobility of the workforce, companies are continually looking for ways to improve operational efficiencies, decrease administrative costs and improve stored data protection on employee operating systems. Using vendors as partners is an excellent source of integrating technology throughout the company.

IT staffing within the A/E/C industry tends to be minimal with two to three employees within the department.  By outsourcing to your vendors, you are buying experience.  Good vendors will help you stay abreast of the latest technology and assist you in finding solutions that are more cost-effective.  This allows you to concentrate on other, possibly more time sensitive issues affecting the business.

The IT department supports a number of items on a daily basis, from copiers and phones, to printers and computers. Realistically, your IT staff may not have the capacity to handle every aspect of your program. Vendors can be an important additional resource. It’s important to draw from your partnerships.  They are eager to demonstrate their product and share their expertise, allowing you to take the time in making sound decisions in planning and managing your department effectively.

Every company seeks to do better. Take the time to research what your organization needs. Establish your task force so you know where your priorities lie, create a budget and then develop your strategy. Partner with vendors to learn what’s new and most cost-effective. As the industry continues to evolve, with the help of the latest software and communication tools, the use of technology will help keep your company ahead of the curve.

Construction Business Owner, September 2006