3 painless ways to cut your costs in IT — immediately

While you’re likely already doing your best to keep your company’s expenses down, it seems that sooner or later, many IT-managers will experience that dreaded moment when the boss comes in, saying that you need to find a way to cut costs — immediately.

As valuable as technology can be in today’s workplace, there’s no denying that it can also prove rather costly. When you work in IT, you’re at the forefront of any debates regarding the cost and effectiveness of the technologies used at your company.

So what can you do to cut costs and make your boss happy? The good news is that you don’t have to chip away at the things that make your job easier. Here’s a closer look at three cost reduction strategies that will make a positive difference for your work — and your boss’s budget.

Move to a cloud-based system

Few things can help a business lower its IT costs like moving to a cloud-based system. However, many businesses continue to use traditional software programs rather than switching to their more advanced (and flexible) cloud-based counterparts.

A cloud-based system provides several significant advantages, most notably a direct decrease in operating costs. This is because unlike traditional software models, a cloud-based system typically doesn’t require long-term contracts or commitments.

Instead, most providers allow for a pay-as-you-go plan that can scale up or down based on a company’s needs. This way, you can ensure that your business never overpays for its software.

A cloud system also helps lower IT costs with several measures that improve productivity. For one thing,  you have accessibility anywhere you have an internet connection. This opens up the possibility of remote visibility and control, which improves perceived work-life balance — an important factor that has been found to improve productivity by 21 percent.

Even less obvious benefits like automatic alerts and notifications go a long way in increasing productivity and lowering overall business expenses. If your company hasn’t already switched to the cloud, now is the time to do so.

Take advantage of automation

Many IT workers find their days filled with repetitive tasks that keep them from addressing their most important challenges. Thankfully, alongside cloud technology, the increasing availability of automation tools can also allow you to save time and improve IT outcomes.

Automation in network management comes in the form of providing a unified view, simplifying configuration and setup and ongoing updates management. Plus, the combination of cloud and automation provides continuous visibility even across multiple sites. It means staying on top of your networks, even as your responsibility increases.

Automation also means you’re proactive, instead of reactive. You see issues as they crop up and can de-escalate them immediately. It also means when a crisis does arise, you have visibility into it, and the tools on hand to fix it.

Best of all, by automating routine tasks that you perform each day, you’ll have more time to focus on the assignments that require more careful analysis and have a greater impact on the company’s long-term growth.

By embracing automation technology, you’ll be able to reduce operational expenses and improve your own productivity — a winning solution that is sure to please any budget-minded boss.

Use a unified network management tool

In small business, much of IT remains manual. This puts a lot of stress on the already stretched IT department. Each device needs to be set up, configured and managed individually. It means significant time spent on each individual device. Plus a lot of repeated setup and configurations tasks.

Unified network management tools, such as NETGEAR Insight, greatly reduce the unnecessary back-and-forth that is required when you’re having to deal with issues on each device within your network. These tools allow for complete monitoring of a small business’s network, managing everything from access points and switches to network storage in one easy-to-navigate package.

Plus with a network management tool, you’ll save even more time on routine tasks, increasing productivity and reducing IT costs. And when your network management tool is cloud-based, like NETGEAR Insight is, it allows you to monitor your network remotely and painlessly from anywhere.

Cut IT costs the correct way

As the above strategies reveal, cutting costs doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to find a way to get the job done without your needed tech tools. In fact, the opposite is true.

By taking advantage of the latest tech offerings in a way that will increase productivity and efficiency, you’ll be able to deliver higher value to your boss and ensure that the IT department contributes to the business’s goals and growth. Fully embracing these software advances may be one of the best investments your company could make.