All businesses need a successful IT infrastructure to survive in 2023, but setting them up and managing them isn’t always easy, especially for small businesses. IT infrastructure is the umbrella term to describe all components involved with enabling or carrying out IT functions. Throughout this article, we’ve put together five tips to help you successfully set up a small business IT infrastructure.
Strive for Scalability
Small businesses need to make room for growth when setting up their IT infrastructure. Therefore, even though a simple file-sharing system will work with a few employees, it’s going to face strain later down the line.
A great way to make way for scalability is by relying on cloud-based services, which can be used as little or as much as required. For example, tools like Slack have a tiered payment structure that suits businesses of varying sizes.
Keep it Simple
The best way for a small business to thrive is by keeping operations and processes simple, and that includes the IT infrastructure. Therefore, when setting up backend and frontend systems, aim for tried and tested systems that will be easy to understand and use.
Using a standardized approach means there’s less room for complications and there’s little need to train staff on new processes. Additionally, your customers will find it much easier to interact with your business.
Build Positive Rapport with Vendors
When getting started with an IT infrastructure, you’ll be shopping around for providers for various services, software, and tech tools. Once you’ve made a choice, it’s important to get started the right way by making a positive connection.
By doing this, you’ll have a better chance of receiving fantastic ongoing support. Whereas, if your relationship starts rocky, you may be given second-rate services, which can leave you offline unnecessarily.
Set Standard Procedures
When you’re implementing your IT infrastructure, clear processes and boundaries must be set from the beginning. For example, if any problems are found, a clear documentation system needs to be put in place.
By doing this, anyone that works on the IT infrastructure will know what’s already been done. Without a proper tracking system in place, the weight will fall on one employee and the business will be in hot water if they leave or take time off.
Use Managed IT Providers
Setting up an IT infrastructure will take up a lot of time and money, which will distract from focusing on more important aspects of the business. Therefore, to alleviate the pressure, consider using third-party business IT services.
The benefits of outsourcing your IT requirements means there’s no need to buy expensive equipment, you won’t need to pay employees to take care of it, and you’ll have access to new technology.
Using a third-party provider doesn’t mean you can’t take care of anything, as you can scale the service to suit your needs.
Small businesses often have limited resources, meaning the strains of setting up an IT infrastructure can become too much. However, if you are taking on the challenge yourself, the tips outlined above will help point you in the right direction.
