The small business you always imagined seems elusive. You’ve had some success but can’t quite hit the next gear. Additional growth seems like the right answer, but that next level feels like it’s going to demand more than you have to give. You’re convinced the business could breakthrough if you could just get your arms around technology. The promise is there- the potential to make more profit without more hours, serving more of your clients while balancing your personal demands.
But you don’t find technology to be intuitive. In the past, it felt like adding new technology was just a waste of money because it didn’t change any results. You’re not comfortable enough with technology to be confident you can use it to drive better results. You know technology can be a difference maker. But while your tech guy is great at fixing your PC, past conversations about the business side of tech haven’t gone anywhere. Who can help you figure this out?
Modern small businesses need a modern IT team. The modern IT team needs to be focused on business results more than technical. We’ve reached the tipping point where the availability and functionality of technology can be taken for granted. It’s simple to keep your systems up and running, almost anyone can do it. The true business opportunity is differentiating by using those systems well.
Why it matters
Small businesses have largely embraced the idea of technology as a business driver, purchasing it at an ever-increasing pace. Often overlooked is the need to also invest in the group responsible for translating increased technical capacity into improved business performance- the IT team.
While often viewed interchangeably, technology and the IT team are separate concepts. The IT team should provide expertise in managing and using technology. They provide the connective tissue between the business’s operations and its tools. Without them, it’s too easy to spend money on well-marketed technical features, get no value from the investments, and lose faith.
IT as a business function
IT value should no longer come from answering support calls and fixing issues after they happen. Modern IT teams need to offer the same leadership expected from all business functions- risk management, planning, strategic analysis, and operational expertise.
Technical competence is table stakes. Providing solid counsel to leaders, identifying potential obstacles to success, and recommending changes to operational workflows are all activities that should be provided by today’s IT teams. Maintaining technical stability for the organization is only part of the job. They must also position the business to take advantage of emerging opportunities, manage changing risks, and enhance business outcomes through workflow integrations.
Delivering in these ways is well outside the capabilities of an IT function based only on solving reactive support requests.
The IT team you need
So, what does a small business IT team capable of delivering these results look like? While there are numerous variations of an IT team, the core roles to include are:
Information Technology Leadership- Often labeled as IT Director, CIO, etc., this role is responsible for IT’s strategic direction and its alignment with the business
Information Security Leadership- Often labeled as CISO, Security Manager, etc., this role is responsible for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of the business’s technology assets
System Administration- The role responsible for proactive technical maintenance of systems, including changes such as access management, configuration, and policy implementation
Help Desk- The role responsible for frontline support to end users, ensuring satisfactory response to disruptions of systems previously good working status and configuration.
Conclusion
The most valuable contributions of your IT team shouldn’t be technical. Most small businesses do not require complex technology. Combine that with the reality that technology is the most reliable, accessible, and powerful it has ever been, and implementing, maintaining, and supporting small business IT systems is no longer a high-value proposition.
That means IT teams must move up the value chain, addressing the same business concerns other functions have always addressed: risk, strategy, and operations. Without this elevation, small business technology decisions are made by individual departments, leaving them with disconnected systems, siloed information, and unintended risks. The modern IT team for small businesses needs an equal measure of business and technical acumen.
