Reducing the Risk of Tech Sprawl

Software does plenty for your business, so it is inevitable that you are going to need to make plans to get applications that can best help it run. Acquiring software used in mission-critical tasks can be tough because there are similar products with slightly different integrations and slightly different features that could determine the effectiveness and ROI it will have for your business. Let’s take a look at how to get the right, and right amount, of software and how having too much technology can be a drain on your business.

What is Tech Sprawl?

Before we get into the considerations you’ll need to navigate through when choosing the right software for your business, we should discuss the problem at hand. Tech sprawl is when a business has too much software and other technologies that it works to complicate, and ultimately hinder, the business. When you don’t have a dedicated plan for choosing the technology that will get your business where you want it to go, you can end up wasting money. 

Every business is eager to fix its problems, but you may be surprised by how many employees are too. Unfortunately, they often do it outside of the IT scope.

One study showed that nearly two-out-of-five employees are guilty of adding some form of technology outside of the scope of their IT department or service provider. This is frequently called “shadow IT” because it is added outside administrators' knowledge and isn’t always maintained the way that mission-critical tools are, and can lurk in the shadows to create unknown vulnerabilities on the network.

What are Some of the Problems with Tech Sprawl?

Using too many tools at work can make things harder instead of easier. Employees often waste time switching between different apps, trying to keep track of everything, and figuring out how each tool works. This can get confusing and slow down how much work gets done.

When teams use different tools for the same tasks, it can mess up communication. Important details might get lost, and people might not be on the same page. Without one clear way to communicate, teamwork can suffer, and things take longer to finish.

Having lots of software can also get really expensive. Besides paying for each tool, companies have to spend time teaching employees how to use them. Fixing problems with different tools can also take up a lot of time and money.

Storing information in too many places makes it hard to find and share when needed. When data is spread out like this, it’s harder to make smart decisions based on the right information.

Using a bunch of different tools can also make it easier for hackers to steal information. Each tool comes with its own risks, and the more tools a company uses, the harder it is to keep everything safe and follow security rules.

What You Can Do to Combat Tech Sprawl

There are some things you can do to keep tech sprawl from being a problem for your organization. They include:

• Assess thoroughly -  Start by thinking about what your business actually needs and where technology can help make things easier. Don’t just use new tools because they seem cool or because someone else said you should. Make sure they really help.
• Use the same tools for everyone - Decide on a few tools that everyone should use for certain tasks. When everyone uses the same things, it’s easier to work together and avoid confusion.
• Check those tools often - Take time to look at the tools you’re using and see if any are unnecessary or slowing things down. This helps you stay organized and make changes when needed.
• Integrate when possible - Pick tools that can easily connect with the ones you already use. This makes it easier to keep everything in one place and work more smoothly.

We Can Help!

If you think your business has too much going on with its technology and would like help simplifying, consolidating, or being more strategic with your approach to technology use and acquisition, the IT experts at Microtechs can help. To learn more about the steps we can take to help manage your IT and data, give us a call today at (415) 246-0101.