IT is a big ticket item for most organizations, and business leaders who want to trim those costs have two trends working in their favor these days: Cloud computing and consumer technology.
Tech fans have been talking about “The Cloud” for years now, but the concept is beginning to go mainstream. With both Apple and Google setting up cloud services, the big players are fully engaged.
The advantages: You pay for what you use and don’t have to make big, upfront investments in infrastructure. The downside? Security and knowing that your data is controlled elsewhere. Downtime can also be a significant factor.
Consumer tech can also be a big cost saver. Creating a tech environment that lets workers use their favorite tools — smartphones, tablets, netbooks — means having a device agnostic attitude. The employee brings a device, you supply data and apps that will let them get their work done.
Neither trend is likely to be wildly popular with your IT team. They mean less control, fewer employees and a significant learning curve. Be prepared.
