To get there, IT professionals should reorient themselves to examine their company’s top business priorities first, not the top technology problems. In other words, get to the fundamental root of the issue driving the need for a technological shift: What are the business reasons behind the move to the technology, and what are the business priorities? In a real-world example, one midsized energy company considered installing SD-WAN. Not only did the new network generate cost savings, but it also made sense to help stabilize network connections across their 150-plus sites, enabling their workforce to become more efficient and reliable. After analyzing their prior network setup versus the SD-WAN deployment, the company found it would save more than $1.3 million per year while decreasing overall headcount. Security & The Hybrid Workforce Midsized businesses have more personnel and customers to manage than small startups, yet they also lack the resources of larger companies that can pursue multiple digital transformation initiatives at once. For this reason, midmarket companies need to be selective in how they roll out their digital transformation efforts. In the current climate, we are seeing a permanent hybrid workforce emerge due to a shift in worker behaviors during the pandemic. Combined with the new collaboration solutions for remote work, this change is impacting the way the IT department functions. Now IT needs to support employees who are based at home, at an office, or any other place around the globe. Digital transformation can help businesses to meet this need for a permanent hybrid workforce, including management of remote meetings and securing data at a growing number of endpoints. Along those lines, a digital transformation also can help organizations upgrade their overall security posture. With the emergence of a hybrid workforce, IT leaders need to ensure appropriate levels of security to protect their highly distributed business users and assets. Cybercrimes will continue to rise, and with a more distributed attack surface with varying levels of security, organizations will need to ensure the security of their data no matter where it is located. Overall, midmarket IT leaders need to develop effective strategies for digital transformation that can solve real business problems through technology adoption. A successful strategy includes aligning the right people with the right processes and technologies, and from there, focusing on making continual improvements through ongoing software development and staff training. Remember, there can be no shortcuts because every company today – and every competitor – is now a technology company. o Paul Kozak is president and co-founder of MNJ Technologies. 45 JULY - AUGUST 2022 | CHANNELV ISION Connect with Blackfoot Carrier Services! Click to schedule a meeting today! Ryan Delaney Carrier Services Manager GoBlackfoot.com/Ryan
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