Why Your IT Department Is Crucial to Your Digital Transformation

The rapid digital transformation of many companies around the world has meant the introduction of many exciting new tools and capabilities for a business which can drive productivity and efficiency to new heights. These new capabilities have also had the effect of necessitating businesses to have a robust IT department to handle new digital processes.

Traditionally, IT departments have operated on their own, typically on-hand to provide their business with internal support and solutions. As digital transformation takes hold, the role of IT departments is changing, as more and more they are expected to deal with IoT (Internet of things) as it relates to their company, among other things. takes hold, the role of IT departments is changing, as more and more they are expected to deal with IoT (Internet of things) as it relates to their company, among other things.

This added responsibility means that IT personnel are increasingly involved in operational aspects of the business’ cloud and networking as well as dealing with legacy systems and the keeping them functional. This has led to a hybrid role for many IT departments; more than ever the need for a solid IT team is important for the success of any company seeking to improve and expand its digital transformation efforts.

The Key Areas Your IT Department Will Play a Role in Your Digital Transformation Strategy

The IT department by definition will be at the forefront of your business’ technological needs. That means it will form a critical part of not just the digital transformation process, but everything that happens afterward and everything that has already happened prior.

While the increased presence of digital technology in a business means a more complicated job for IT, such technology also brings many advantages which streamline processes and cut down on the number of work technicians and end users need to do.

Here are four major aspects of digital transformation which your IT department will play a key role in:

1. Better Automation

It’s Not Just Marketers Benefitting From Automation Capabilities

Automation and digital transformation go hand-in-hand. Automated processes are faster, more efficient and produce fewer errors when they’re configured correctly. Modern businesses use automation in a variety of ways, and it is quickly becoming an important part of the functioning of IT departments. It allows them to spend their time and energy on implementing digital transformation solutions while also dealing with existing systems.

• Backing-up data
• Document management
• Tech support
• Supply ordering
• Access control and threat detection

Automation takes the human factor out of simple, repetitive tasks. For example, customer support chatbots helps users accomplish basic tasks that they may be having trouble doing, such as resetting a password or finding a part of an interface. Likewise, automated backups and data encryption ensure that these critical steps are never accidentally forgotten.

Automation allows for more technology without the need for human oversight; carefully implemented systems such as auto-reponses to queries can help alleviate pressure. This means IT personnel can spend more time focusing on vital considerations, such as the hybrid running of old systems and new DX systems which also require significant human attention.

As with many other aspects of business automation makes departments more effective, streamlined, and able to respond to critical situations with greater ease.

2. Artificial Intelligence

AI Gives New Insights on Data Not Previously Possible for Many Businesses

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly, and real-world applications of this technology are increasing dramatically and becoming an essential tool for businesses with a DX strategy. For IT, artificial intelligence technologies represent the ability to:

• Use anomaly detection (a technique to identify potential issues in data) to spot threats faster, with greater accuracy
• Produce deeper insights through extensive data mining beyond the capabilities of humans
• Analyze existing processes and workflows to find flaws or opportunities for improvement
• Augment customer and employee experiences with AI tech support

There are other applications of artificial intelligence as well which an IT department may wish to leverage, notably machine learning, which offers the opportunity for AI to learn on its own how to approach issues and deal with them without being specifically programmed to do so.

Uses such as these prove invaluable to modern IT departments attempting to navigate the terrain of digital transformation. The indications are that an IT department with a good grasp of the benefits of AI integration into their process will prove to be an important part of any DX strategy.

3. Security In Real Time

Keeping Threats at Bay is a Primary Concern for IT Professionals

One of the most notable features of digital transformation is the ability to speed up business operations so that they occur in and respond to adverse situations and environments in real-time. For IT, this ability manifests primarily in the ability to provide real-time cybersecurity to every facet of a business’ digital operations.

Cybersecurity represents a key concern for businesses of all sizes. The Ponemon Institute reported in 2018 that over two-thirds of businesses experience a cyber attack at least once a year. Likewise, IBM came out last year with the astounding statistic that it takes 197 days on average to identify an attack, plus another 69 to contain it. Just three percent of the small and midsized businesses surveyed caught the intrusion at once.

Small businesses often do not have the infrastructure or the knowledge to protect themselves. Large businesses have plenty of cracks to slip through as well, and for this reason, many companies choose to outsource their cybersecurity to external providers of IT services.

Hackers and malicious actors rely on employees being over-worked, tired, and less observant. The Ponemon Institute also found that most attacks constitute social engineering and phishing attempts.

Real-time cybersecurity, a benefit of digital transformation, keeps harmful links out of employee inboxes, and spots accounts displaying unusual behavior.

Providing the resources to keep cybersecurity threats at bay has become an enormously important aspect of the operations of IT departments. Being able to rely on successfully combating these threats is a big first step in ensuring that digital transformation efforts go smoothly for a business.

4. A More Integrated Network

The Responsibility of IT Departments is Increasing in Digitizing Businesses

Digital infrastructure integrates processes, departments, and teams. For IT, this presents the advantage of better oversight and organizational visibility with the operation of their network.

There are many ways this may occur. For example, a print environment which uses integration software illuminates printing costs, usage habits, and ways to optimize the physical layout of devices for a smoother workflow. This visibility also assists with print environment security, which includes not just who accesses the printer, but who prints what, and why.

Deeper network integration means a greater reliance on the capability of the IT department to meet its demands and ensure that everyday business operations function successfully, from the cloud to IoT capability to blockchain functionality. This increased responsibility means more work for IT, but a department that is up to the task is imperative to move forward with a successful DX program.

Get Your IT Department Ready For Digital Transformation

Successfully implementing digital transformation within a company is impossible without a well-equipped IT department to support this evolution. While digital infrastructure introduces a host of new challenges and situations, it also enables more potent means to oversee, integrate, and secure the business environment for the future.

Impact Networking helps companies prepare and update their IT departments to facilitate digital transformation and offers expert advice on how modernizing businesses can use IT to navigate DX strategies. To learn more about how you can modernize your organization, reach out to our experts today!