Forthright Technology Partners Helps Enterprise IT Departments Face Top IT Challenges

In today’s corporate world, enterprise IT departments are grappling with a wide array of challenges. Chief information officers and IT managers are working tirelessly to find innovative solutions to the issues. IT teams need to deliver robust security solutions and added value to help safeguard business interests. On another level, executives are increasingly looking to technology to enhance innovation and business performance.

An industry report published by Protiviti in 2016 revealed that approximately two-thirds of IT experts face mounting challenges linked to transformation. Protiviti interviewed more than 1,100 leaders in information technology, including CIOs, directors, and vice-presidents. The survey identified the following key challenges:

• Increased cybersecurity
• Enhancing business value
• Increased focus on data classification
• Prioritization of social media and mobile platforms
• Elevated responsibility for information technology assets

Many companies expect tech departments to enhance and protect business value. They achieve this objective by aligning business continuity planning and the broader risk management strategies with corporate goals.

The increase in cybercrime activities around the world is also heaping pressure on IT teams to reinforce security measures. Companies need to maximize security to protect sensitive data and avoid disruptions due to breaches. The failure to maximize security can affect an organization’s reputation, revenue, or ability to maintain day-to-day operations.

Prioritization of social media and mobile platforms

When it comes to data classification, tech specialists are dealing with the increased focus on data classification. This requirement creates challenges due to the need to organize, manage, and keep the growing amounts of data secure.

On the other hand, the elevated responsibility of information technology assets emanates from the notable rise in mobile devices and apps. The growing reliance on cloud computing also contributes to the same. IT professionals handle social media strategies while developing secure systems for mobile commerce.

Challenges and Potential Solutions

Chief information officers and their teams need to recognize and prepare for challenges. The survey conducted bu Protiviti shows that many enterprise IT departments are rising to the challenge. They are adopting innovative strategies and promoting a proactive approach. In turn, IT experts contribute to their organizations’ overall success.

Fostering Innovation

Although everyone agrees that innovation is crucial to the success of businesses, the challenge is implementation. Many organizations encourage CIOs to view themselves as chief innovation officers. However, most IT leaders barely find time to innovate because they are working tirelessly to keep their heads above the water.

In most cases, they are addressing day-to-day challenges with limited resources. Different business units keep enterprise IT departments inundated with operational requests. As a result, IT professionals invest time and energy in keeping the technology running, making it difficult to drive innovation.

The lack of adequate resources to handle business requests while driving consistent innovation is the problem. So, what can IT departments change to resolve the issue?

Provide IT teams the technologies and processes needed to cope with increased business requests. Once the tech department eliminates backlogs, give them the right tools to deliver innovative business solutions. Furthermore, consider creating an innovation hub.

Integrating Decentralized Software

The growing adoption of cloud computing transformed the way businesses deploy software. Organizations are dumping monolithic programs in favor of a la carte software solutions, including SaaS offerings. This trend compels enterprise IT departments to focus on integrating decentralized software into a cohesive system.

Many tech departments are facing considerable difficulties adapting to the decentralization. For this reason, companies should approach any new enterprise software package purchases to achieve integration. New applications must integrate well with other software, and IT teams should check whether they have an open API.

Consumer privacy and data protection

Consumer privacy and data protection are critical issues facing enterprise IT departments around the world. Companies must implement specific measures to remain compliant with regulations. Thus, tech teams can ill-afford to leave data floating around without robust privacy measures.

An increased number of clients are conscious about data security and may ask pertinent questions regarding how a business handles privacy issues. This heightened awareness of privacy is a direct result of regulations, such as GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Companies flouting the regulations risk facing reputational damage or hefty fines. Chief information officers and their teams need to develop practical frameworks for data privacy and security.

Control issues

In the past, information technology departments controlled data access and the technology needs of the entire organization. Business units relied on IT teams to determine software deployment and deliver new technology solutions.

In recent years, companies adopted the self-service approach by allowing business units to purchase and deploy software without seeking approval from the tech department. The downside of decentralizing the control of technology is that the plan creates security risks. IT teams should exercise control to maximize security, mainly when dealing with third-party software.

To resolve this dilemma, organizations can adopt a controlled self-service. In doing so, it becomes easier to maintain data protection while promoting flexibility for business units.

Why Choose Forthright Technology Partners

Forthright Technology Partners is one of the leading IT firms in South Florida. The IT firm has been helping corporate clients manage and secure IT infrastructure for more than two decades. Its team of highly skilled tech experts has experience handling different technologies, including VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft.

By partnering with Forthright, your organization can find it easier to deal with challenges faced by many enterprise IT departments. The firm helps large businesses achieve operational efficiency thanks to enterprise-level solutions. Forthright Technology Partners also employs the AIM methodology to assist companies in managing IT assets more effectively.

Some of the services available to clients include cloud services, information technology security, IT consulting, business continuity planning, help desk support, advisory, and managed services. Experts at the IT company help organizations make technology decisions that maximize growth potential and align with long-term business plans.

Cybersecurity services make it easier to counteract breaches, which undermine the public image of the business. The vendor takes a holistic approach to detecting and thwarting security threats. In the end, the service assists organizations in maintaining high productivity levels and avoiding downtime due to cyber attacks.