While some managed IT service providers recommend clients conduct a technology business review once a year, Brian Mangum believes it’s a lost opportunity to not perform them more often. The founder and CEO of BrightFlow Technologies, Brian says that every interaction with a client is an opportunity to problem solve to help them succeed.
“Whether it’s opening a service ticket, emailing or calling one of our team members, each member of our team sees these touchpoints as a way to deepen our relationships with our clients,” Brian says. “We strive for personal long-term relationships with every client. Any time we start that interaction is an opportunity to check in. It’s important to discover if their business model has changed or to explore if there are any pain points. That’s where a technology business review or TBR comes in.”
You can expect these six takeaways from a robust technology business review:
1. An Opportunity to Forge Deeper Relationships
A comprehensive TBR reveals the strengths and weaknesses of a company’s IT framework. It is an objective assessment of the technologies employed within that framework, and integral to this review is providing recommendations on strategies to help meet a company’s goals.
“Whether it is a new client we are onboarding or a review for a longtime client, we go through the basics of their business and verify all pertinent data, such as how many team members they currently have,” Brian says. “We also look at new services they may now need, and if there are any pain points in their overall operations, and what we can do to eliminate those pain points.”
A TBR also provides an opportunity to discuss additional services that may be effective for the company.
2. A Measurement of Tangible Value
Through comprehensive data, reports and surveys, a TBR can also illustrate where managed IT services are protecting the company and its assets. This includes the number of threats detected or defeated, and the company’s total spend for this security.
“Unlike some of our competitors, we don’t like to fear-monger. Some of our competitors will push certain services, saying you have to have this or that, or you will perish,” Brian says. “But we do not do that.
“A TBR is an opportunity to explore, at a high level, all the data and all the moving parts that happen, on a daily basis, within a client’s IT infrastructure,” Brian says. “Our clients may not know the types of alerts that come in that are mitigated, or the types of situations that arise that we fix without anyone necessarily seeing that information. Usually, when IT issue arises it is a personal issue on a specific machine, but there is so much more that goes into it.”
During a technology business review, your managed service provider should convey useful information about what they are doing for your organization, while getting feedback from you or your leadership on IT challenges you’re facing.
“When this information on cybersecurity is provided, a company president or CEO sees tangible value. After all, if they had to deal with breaches it would cost them 10 times as much,” Brian says. “If leadership wants more detailed information about threats we have thwarted, we provide it.”
3. Identification of Cost Savings
Every technology business review can include a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether an implemented technology is worth the investment. If there are certain technologies costing you more than they are worth, your IT service provider can recommend cost-effective alternatives so you can do more with less.
4. Understanding of Security and Compliance Measures
TBRs can also uncover security risks within a company’s IT infrastructure. The team at BrightFlow can discover missed patches, poorly configured networks and other software vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
The experts at BrightFlow will compile their findings to create a robust cybersecurity strategy, one that involves implementing advanced intrusion prevention systems, file access restrictions and patch management software to protect your business.
If you operate a business that is subject to data regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) or Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), the team at BrightFlow will also pinpoint noncompliant IT practices and solutions and then customize a strategy that ensures the privacy, integrity and security of your data.
5. Technology Strategy
New technologies are emerging at an unprecedented rate. So, it is important to choose those that will help you achieve your business goals. The team at BrightFlow can help you keep up to date on the latest technology trends and gauge the impact of implementing them so that you can make informed decisions.
Whether your goal is to increase profits, productivity, security or all of the above, TBRs will put you on the right track. The seasoned IT team at BrightFlow can conduct these reviews for you and develop a strategy that gives you an edge over the competition.
6. Peace of Mind
One of the core tenets at BrightFlow Technologies is to cultivate calm. “Having the infrastructure in place to protect a client’s business is key to creating that calm,” Brian says. “Once the business, as an important asset, is protected and secure, then we can operate from a place of calm, of ease. Our pitch to our clients is that there is a brighter way. In a nutshell, that’s what we offer.”
Ready for a Technology Business Review?
Are you reaping the benefits of a dedicated meeting to assess your organization’s technology and the strategies required to move it forward? If not, contact us to talk more about how a technology business review could make a difference in your productivity, security and bottom line.