It’s amazing to think of how resilient you have been to manage your business over the last several years of very difficult economic times. But as you’ve dusted yourself off, have you also been taking stock of the tools that have helped you make it to 2015 and how they might now be holding you back?

In the five to six years post-Great Recession, IT investing was at an all-time low. Businesses were cutting costs wherever possible and banks were not making new loans. From a technology perspective Microsoft, Apple, HP, Dell and others, all knew that they needed to offer products that would work to sustain a business through a recession economy. A practical solution on their part but one that didn’t look further ahead, into the future. To cut to the chase here: in the current period of growth that we’re now seeing in all sectors of the economy, if you’re using tools that helped get you through the recession, those tools are now getting in your way in 2015. And you might not even be aware of it.

All the major IT manufacturers are all offering major product improvements that help businesses grow and compete today. And good news for small business, many of these applications and systems are going to be scalable, effective, and wallet-friendly. Take for example Microsoft’s initiative to push Office 365 to the mainstream. They have aggressively cut prices. So for a fast-growing small business, it cuts the upfront capital costs of expanding your workforce and scales up just with a few button clicks. And if you look at your productivity software, database, spreadsheets, CRM – these have leaped forward in the past seven years. Businesses still stuck on the recession-friendly 2010 software will be at a great disadvantage.

From a security perspective, upgrading couldn’t be emphasized enough. Not to sound alarmist, but threat levels are at an all-time high and getting higher (for Small businesses, not just Fortune 500 companies). Not only will a cyber-thief steal your Intellectual Property, but they could shut down your systems, making them inoperable. The best defense is a good offense, and your out of date (or non-existent) security systems need to be re-evaluated to protect your business.

We’re shining a light on this reality because Upward can help. We WANT to help and we’ve got answers. Upgrading growing business from recession level IT to the fast and most futuristic technology is work we love to do. By upgrading your technology you will increase productivity and reduce risk.
o We’ll analyze and consult on what areas improvements are needed most.
o Suggest solutions, upgrade systems, and provide ongoing support.
o We can take care of any hardware or purchasing need that may come up.

The future is bright and you need an IT company that understands that growth can only occur when your tools are built for it.

Contact Upward for a free IT assessment, and create a plan to go forward.