Your Future is on the Horizon | A New Year – A New Start

The future of business tech looks bright – this past year has been better than the previous one, but many are still apprehensive about the future. In the following two articles we will explore the future of technology and Horizon, we will see how – with the right tech and the right professionals supporting you on your journey – you can progress to a prosperous future with technology as a powerful ally.

We have undergone a period of reflection and have decided on an entirely new brand for the organization – but don’t be concerned, we are keeping our existing expert team on board. Our aim is to enlighten our clients (existing and new) on the potential benefits that the right tools have in the quest to melt the ‘Iceberg’ of problems they have in their organization. By ‘Iceberg’ we mean that most of their problems lie beneath the surface and are often missed by most. However, the correct tools used in the right way can revolutionize your business.

We hope to help our clients to understand what a good IT company really is – rather than behaving like an insurance provider and only stepping in when there is a problem, we believe in a different, modern approach. We know that proactivity is key in today’s modern working world, so therefore the way we approach IT is through forethought, planning, and anticipation. The days of ‘support’ only when a problem arises are long gone – it is now all about forward thinking, preparing for tomorrow, and ensuring that your IT manages its fair share of your operational burdens.

A modern IT partner must be familiar with the industry in which their client resides, have a clear vision of what they are hoping to achieve, and above all else – have the best interests of the client (both financially and operationally) at all times. We are proud to say that we tick all of these boxes.

As we said, times are changing, and challenges in business are always evolving. So, with another new year approaching, what do we anticipate 2022 will bring?

A new year – A new start

Most will want to delete 2021 from their memories for good! Not only have we still been dealing with one of the worst health epidemics the world has ever seen, but in the world of business there have been big changes too, predominantly to the way we work. For the majority work practices were approached with survival in mind rather than growth – but, now things are changing.

These times we are living in have highlighted some otherwise less obvious issues contained within the way we carry out business processes. Some challenges – possibly even the small and insignificant ones – have been forced to the surface due to the pandemic, and it’s time we tried to solve them.

Luckily, businesses did what they had to in order to continue trading when the pandemic struck, and some are still doing that now almost two years later. Many used home PC’s and laptops to help do that, but, unfortunately, that presented us with a number of other challenges.

These two articles will highlight some of the issues that arose during this last year and what can be implemented to ensure they are not repeated, allowing you peace of mind when it comes to your business in 2022.

The wrong IT and what it can mean for business

The rush to set up offices within our homes led some employees to use the wrong tools – some of which were provided by the boss, others by themselves. Outdated or unprotected software or hardware can have a detrimental effect on business functionality and also security.

This is referred to as ‘Shadow IT’.

Shadow IT is IT that the employer has no control over – it increases risks as there are no organisational requirements for control, documentation, security, reliability, etc. 

Long term prolonged business functionality and growth should always be the aim for every business no matter its size; you need to make informed decisions that will help your company to achieve your goals. The last year or two has already pushed many otherwise successful businesses into reviewing their strategies on how and where they work and what changes they need to make to their service going forward.

The new strategy going into 2022

Many firms have undergone a transition to an at least partially remote working team. Some made this decision in case of another lockdown, to increase flexibility, or for many other reasons, and others realized that a transition to a remote workforce is not for them. This does not necessarily mean they are not going through a transition as these last years could have highlighted issues that otherwise would not have been noticed or would not have needed rectifying.

Here are two business challenges made more apparent by Covid-19 and why you should resolve them as soon as possible.

1. Lower risk – increase levels of security and compliance
2. Increase profit and productivity

Why address them?

Lower risk – increase levels of security and compliance

You will feel a number of impact points if you do not address these challenges, including:

• Loss of time
• Loss of data 
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of clients

And if the above is allowed to continue this can then lead to the most important of all:

• Loss of revenue

What can lead to these impacts?

The risks that can lead to these impacts:

• Cyber threats  

We all know that cyber attacks have the ability to cause untold problems within a business; these can range from the theft of sensitive, valuable information or even cause electrical and equipment failures if the attack is sophisticated enough. Cyber security threats come in multiple different forms – Phishing emails, Malware, and Ransomware being some of the more popular methods preferred by cyber criminals. Unfortunately, different methods of attack are emerging daily, all with the ability to cause business debilitating problems.

Cyber attacks can mean loss of data, leading to reputational issues which could potentially cause loss of revenue if customers stop using your services.

• Reduced pressured resources

It is essential for businesses to use resources as efficiently as possible; they must find a balance of tools at their disposal to make a fully functional, thriving, and efficient workplace. Unfortunately, this has been made even more difficult with some being forced to cut their workforce, which in turn lowers production, meaning the effective use of resources could be at risk of not being achieved.

If you cannot use the resources you have to their full capabilities (money, staff, time, etc) you may experience derogatory effects to the reputation of your business. This can lead to lower revenue and less people using your services.

In the following article we will take a look at the second challenge, the impact of not rising to the challenge, and the risks that can lead to that impact.

Technology utilized

Founded in 1984, Horizon started off as a custom software company doing work for Snap-on Tools. We rapidly added helpdesk and network support to the business and have continued expanding our capabilities ever since – all while also successfully transitioning to a second generation of owners.

Our team has over a hundred years of combined experience in virtually every field of IT. We are trusted by clients of every size, from ‘mom ‘n’ pop’ local businesses all the way to multinational corporations who have heavy security and inter-connectivity requirements. Our employees deliver a truly customer-focused direction in everything we do.

After more than thirty years in business, Horizon continues to grow both our client base and our knowledge. We look forward to working with you to help your business enjoy that same success. Contact us now and see what we can do you.