January 4, 2022 | XPERTECHS

Technology to Up Your Game in 2022

There have been a lot of lessons learned from living through a global pandemic. One of these lessons was about technology and how its utilization helped companies to be resilient through the most challenging of times. As the calendar turns to 2022, here at XPERTECHS, we plan to continue helping clients improve operations and enable success with technology, and part of that is to bring them ideas on how to leverage IT.

Following are five areas of focus that we’ll be talking about with business leaders throughout the year. While every business and IT environment is unique, there is opportunity for just about any organization to utilize these ideas to up their game with technology.

1. Advanced Cybersecurity with Microsoft DEFENDER

Microsoft has added more layers to their security stack with the release of DEFENDER. The added functionality provided by Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) increases visibility to each desktop and cloud service within your network to expose and stop potential intruders.

While DEFENDER is built into premium Microsoft subscriptions, there is some work to be done before it can be rolled out. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, our team is up to speed with the intricacies of DEFENDER and we’ve already started to implement these advanced security layers with some clients.

2. Improve Business Processes with Automation

We started talking with clients about automation last year, and we’re determined to make 2022 the year when we uncover even more opportunities for clients to utilize Microsoft Power Apps to streamline operations. Business process automation contributes to business success in multiple ways by simplifying complex processes, eliminating manual or duplicate labor, and providing visibility into workflows.

We plan to expand our automation team here at XPERTECHS and continue to ask questions of our clients in order to identify applications for business process automation. These are questions like – What workflows need more accountability? What high touch processes around customer service need to be more efficient? What key data flows between systems that needs traceability?

3. Get Deeper Collaboration with Microsoft Teams

The use of Microsoft Teams skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021. Because it’s become the preferred workspace for so many people, users have been asking – What else can we do with Teams? The answer to that is a lot. Take automation for example. You can integrate a workflow into Teams to add visibility and eliminate bottlenecks that happen because no one knows where they are in the process.

With Microsoft Business Voice, it’s now possible to pull all of your voice communications into Teams. This is a great solution whether you’re replacing a VoIP or traditional on-premise phone system. You can get all of the features that you would expect in a modern phone system plus the integration with Teams to help your people be more efficient. You might even save on phone costs too.

4. Say Goodbye to Your On-site Server

Many companies have found that the cloud is the way to go for server space and infrastructure but there are a few holdouts. If you’ve been hesitating because you feel that your on-site server is doing okay, or you’re worried about putting your files “out there,” this is the year to let go of the notion that doing what you’ve always done is the right thing to do.

Cloud services allow you to scale up or down with your needs, and they have cutting edge security. What’s more, if you have remote workers you don’t have a traditional office anymore and your on-site server can actually be compromising efficiency and security.

5. Technology Experience Matters

If you’re concerned about customer and employee satisfaction and retention (and who isn’t) then you need to pay attention to the kind of experience that people have with technology. Fortunately, when you invest in IT in the right ways, you have the opportunity to improve the way that you deliver your products or services to your customers.

Everything mentioned here – cybersecurity, automation, Microsoft Teams and cloud computing – can all contribute to a great technology experience and ultimately to your business success.

Ready to Up Your Technology Game?

Here at XPERTECHS, we work with clients to improve operations and enable their success. If you’re not getting the IT guidance and ideas you need from your IT team, it’s time to up your game.