Businesses of all sizes are actively searching for technology investments that help them improve productivity and efficiency while meeting business goals. Gartner estimates worldwide IT spending will reach $3.7 trillion in 2018, indicating the impact that digital transformation is having on global organizations.

For many, the shift to digital and cloud-based technologies can be difficult. Many companies face challenges when looking to implement cutting-edge technologies. IT Managers often don’t know where to begin and find it difficult to get buy-in from C-level executives. In some cases, co-workers are set in their ways and resistant to change. With so many forces working against IT managers, how are they supposed to lead the organization down the path of digital transformation? Here are a few tips.

Identify your goals – Even the latest and greatest technology is worthless if it doesn’t effectively solve the IT challenges facing your business. Whether you’re trying to solve for increased network downtime or seeking a better way to manage mobile devices and expenses, setting clear goals that resolve those issues is the first step to determining the right technology solutions. Leveraging your existing data and polling staff members not only gives you a better view of the problem but can help in getting buy-in from employees post-implementation.

Work with a technology partner – Once you’ve identified your business challenges and goals, you are best served to seek the assistance of a reputable technology advisor. A good partner can help you sift through the seemingly endless technology options and vendors, eliminating those that don’t meet your need or have a history of poor customer service. In many cases, a technology partner will have prior relationships with vendors, giving them the ability to negotiate pricing, contracts, and SLAs on your behalf.

Develop a roadmap – As with any business venture, developing a technology roadmap results in a definitive plan of action that benefits all parties involved. Mapping out the technologies needed, vendor selection, budgets, and post-implementation strategies, gives you a better method of setting expectations and requirements for all key stakeholders. Additionally, a technology roadmap helps you roll out new technologies in phases, rather than trying to do everything at once. This makes for a much smoother transition, while easing the minds of your C-level execs.

The technology landscape continues to expand with new vendors and technologies like 4G, SD-WAN, TEM, and others. While it can be quite challenging for IT Managers to navigate the waters of digital transformation, LanYap Networks works with clients to make the process as smooth as possible. If you’re looking to implement new technologies into your business but don’t know where to begin, call us at 1.855.4LANYAP and let us help!