Guest Blog: IT Investment or IT Expense?

At Simpl we value input from our workforce. One of our colleagues, Wesley Campbell, recently wrote an article on his LinkedIn page comparing the IT expense or IT investment problem. We have shared his insights below:

“When we talk about IT, a lot of people panic and assume this is just another cost and a waste of money. We need to ask not only what I gain from IT but also what I lose from not having IT. Education plays a key component in all of this. It seems to always come down to the price and not the value information technology brings a business.

One of the hot topics right now is being able to work remotely. Can your business function effectively without going into “The Office”? Do you have the tools to collaborate with your teams? Or do you run your business as if you’ve never heard of the internet?

I, myself was not always aware of the value IT brings to a business as I was not heavily involved in it in my more recent career years. But I’ve definitely learnt! We do see companies moving more towards an IT strategy since this whole COVID thing. Yet, still many businesses, particularly SME’s are still lacking the technology they need to operate in a changing work environment.

Another hot subject is receiving the best cyber security/protection available. I see a lot of “this will never happen to my business” kind of attitude. A lot of awareness already exists on what threats are out there and the catastrophic effects these can have on businesses without the right cyber protection. And I’m guessing tons of hackers have developed their skills and preyed on companies susceptible to ransomware.

Look, I would hate to see a company close it’s doors due to a cyber threat. The education and services are available from MSP’s out there. I’m not just talking about the cheap or free stuff that some offer. I’m talking about an enterprise level AI based antivirus and cloud-based solutions, because viruses evolve just as quickly as the protection available out there does.

So, ask yourself, what do I lose from not having IT? Can my team operate remotely no matter where they are? Can they collaborate on their work? Do I wait for something to break before fixing it? Do I use an email platform that was popular 30 years ago that can be hacked by a 5-year-old child? Do I allow my users to download free movies and watch YouTube all day at work? Or should I invest in IT?

The hardest question is: Can my business survive another pandemic?”

Do you believe that IT is an expense or an investment? Leave your comments below. See more about how Simpl can help you here.

To see more posts from Wesley Campbell, see his active article feed on LinkedIn.