Business Resource Center - Technology Impact Article

The shift from Information Technology to Business Technology

You’ve heard the term Information Technology (IT). Perhaps you even have an IT employee or IT company to assist with your company’s technology needs. And, while IT describes the general reach of this area/industry, it definitely doesn’t do it justice any longer. After all, technology is reaching every area of business, from daily communications to revenue generation. This is why the shift in thinking is moving from Information Technology toward Business Technology (BT).

Technology has become more all-encompassing in recent years. As such, the profitable and progressive business is finding ways to use technology to improve all aspects of the business. The right technology can mean more efficient production levels, better sharing of information, increased sales, streamlined process … bottom line, the right technology means everything.

When thinking about technology and your business, consider all ways in which technology has positive and negative impacts on your day-to-day operations, as well as the larger direction of your business. After all, technology holds vast amounts of information about your business, from client lists to financial information to intellectual capital. It is truly one of the most valuable parts of your organization. When putting together business plans, marketing plans, or sales plans, don’t forget to consider how business technology could affect those plans. For example, could salespeople streamline their processes if they all had PDAs and laptops on the road? If so, factor those costs into your business plan for the year and plan to budget the new technology in. Additionally, look at ways that technology can help integrate your business through something called Business Intelligence (BI). BI refers to systems/programs that help integrate multiple pieces of software, so your accounting system could mesh with you customer service system and your production system to provide you with one report at the end of the week. With all of that information accessible, you can make better decisions about your business – and faster.

In order to run a successful business in this technology age, it is important to truly understand the impact technology can have on your business. Whether you use an internal staff of BT professionals or rely on an external company, think of business technology as your business’ best ally.