ICT & Telecommunications Solutions – What You Need To Consider
Gillian Gibbon
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Being an essential element to the running of every organisation, the purchasing of ICT solutions means an array of many complex factors to consider.
Increasingly the procurement of telecommunications is integral to IT decisions and the two areas both have their own issues. These areas need to be looked at holistically to ensure they both work effectively together.
Here are the Top 10 things you need to consider when you’re looking at ICT solutions:
Conduct a thorough audit so you understand what you’ve got, why you have it and who uses it.
Benchmark and understand where you are now in terms of costs and service. This will help you clearly see what you’re getting for your money and if there is a better deal elsewhere.
Decide what Service Level Agreement (SLA) you need. The more stringent the SLA, the more expensive it will be, so you need to be clear on what you truly need for your organisation.
ICT software should support your business plans and strategy. Will your ICT software give you a competitive advantage?
Consider how technology could increase efficiency, for example, greater use of remote working.
If there is no compelling reason for doing it in-house, assess whether outsourcing would deliver better value for your money.
Evaluate how often are you refreshing equipment now, and consider if the equipment life could be extended without material impact.
Decide what levels of resilience you need and determine what the incremental costs are for that resilience.
Take advice on what should be put in place to keep all company and client data and your systems secure.
If moving to IP for voice, it is important to prioritise voice calls over data use so that you ensure voice call quality.