Are You Planning For Your Manufacturing Firm’s Future?

Planning For Your Manufacturing Firm’s Future

Every successful IT operation has one thing in common: strategy. Years of working with multiple organizations across several industries have taught our team one thing – no two businesses are alike. That means you need an IT plan that is strategically aligned with your distinct requirements to help you achieve real success in business.

Do you have one?

Who’s In Charge Of Your Manufacturing Firm’s Strategy?

Most likely, it’s you, possibly along with a number of other C-level executives. A key member of which should be your Chief Information Officer (CIO) – do you have one?

They provide an invaluable service for your business. It’s their job to understand your organization completely and offer strategic IT planning, analysis, and overall IT management.

They’re dedicated to finding ways to grow your business through new technology and technology-driven processes. By keeping an eye on both your business and the industry landscape, your CIO can ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit from all of your technology investments.

However, finding an experienced CIO that is willing to carry out executive-level duties on a small business salary is a near-impossible task. Many businesses simply can’t afford to hire someone to fill this position – but just because the resources aren’t there, it doesn’t mean that the need for CIO services isn’t there either.

Did you know you can outsource your CIO needs?

The Power Of A Virtual CIO

A Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) performs all the same functions as a traditional CIO, for a fraction of the cost. There is no salary to negotiate, no benefits to provide, and no hiring process to endure. Best of all, they can take on the heavy burden of responsibility that comes with a constantly expanding and evolving technology infrastructure following a strategic vision.

A vCIO service, like the one offered by Network Outsource, will handle a number of key tasks for your firm:

• Consolidation and Optimization
  Your vCIO will analyze and resolve any inefficiencies in your existing IT infrastructure to optimize its performance.
• IT Budgetary Controls
  Your vCIO will work with your leadership to establish budgeting and cost-control processes when implementing IT services, support, and equipment-procurement strategies. The goal is to give you the best-running technology without unnecessary expenditures.
• Cybersecurity
  With today’s sophisticated hacking threats, you face more risks than ever. The right vCIO service will oversee your cybersecurity from a macro view, managing vulnerability assessments to determine your level of risk, if gaps exist in your IT security profile, provide up-to-date solutions, and training your employees to recognize phishing email attempts that contain malware and computer viruses.
• Adoption Of New Technologies
  Today’s manufacturing businesses can benefit from both properly hosted cloud solutions and carefully managed mobile device implementation – but it takes a certain level of oversight to do it properly.Your vCIO can make sure that the implementation of these new technologies doesn’t disrupt your firm’s operations or put them at risk.
  
  Case in point: when employees use their own computing devices at work, they must be used in a secure fashion. And the same goes when they work on their mobile devices offsite. Mobile Device Management from your vCIO will make sure your workforce uses their devices in a secure and controlled manner.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
  Your vCIO can help you set up and deploy management software for all aspects of your manufacturing operations. This includes things like product planning, marketing, inventory management, shipping, invoicing, accounts receivables and payables, and more.

The fact is that IT strategy (especially when aligned with overall business strategy) isn’t a one-time thing. Your vCIO will work alongside your team to provide ongoing guidance, support, and services. Your needs are constantly changing, so your information technology should be too.

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