Underneath all the manual processes, workarounds and network-related deficiencies lies an infrastructure in disarray – not unlike a closet crammed full of clothes collecting dust.
Home organization guru Marie Kondo has created enormous buzz with her Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.”
Kondo’s unique methodology for decluttering clients’ living spaces, as quirky as it may seem, is fairly simple: Clients take all their personal belongings, put them in a pile, hold each one up, and ask themselves – “does it spark joy?” If not, it’s time to discard.
At your office, there’s little joy in admin teams waiting days for document approvals that linger in a manager’s inbox. Or routine network issues that halt the work of end users and distract IT teams from more productive tasks. Or those fluctuating print costs that remain hidden from the light of day.
Underneath all the manual processes, workarounds and network-related deficiencies lies an infrastructure in disarray – not unlike a closet crammed full of clothes collecting dust. Does your technology environment need some tidying up? Are your outdated workflow methodologies collecting dust? Costing you precious productivity?
Business owners, operations managers or IT directors may be realizing it's time to pull out these processes, put them in a pile, and ask themselves: “Is this cost effective?” “Is it streamlined?” "Is there opportunity for transformation?"
There is that opportunity. But the first step in tidying your technology and transforming your workflow is a thorough assessment. A technology assessment is designed to provide accurate insights and perspective on current infrastructure, workflow and personnel. Its purpose is to increase productivity, optimize operating expenses and build a technology platform that sustains future growth.
Two questions that can help channel your inner Marie Kondo:
1. "At what point have I reached my technology breaking point?"
(I.e.: That particular moment when you’re ready to take a step back and pinpoint day-to-day operations that keep your business from thriving).
2. "How will you – my current technology vendor – assess my current situation?"
(I.e.: What tools and methodologies does the provider rely on to determine where you are today and where you’d like to be?)
The assessment should be thorough. It should also be holistic. Most documents originate from printers, most printers connect to networks, and networks are designed to connect users. As such a holistic assessment assesses all three of these elements in tandem or sequentially over a relatively short period.
Three Areas of Assessment Your Organization Should Consider:
- Workflow Assessment - An analysis of key document and information-based processes that drive the business. By documenting workflow, infrastructure and people within these processes, recommendations are made to streamlined processes and enable higher staff productivity.
- Print Assessment - This is a thorough rundown of all print devices, usage volume, print applications and a hard look at any hidden print costs. Next a print strategy is developed to optimize or "Right-Size" fleet deployment and, ultimately, improve an organization's Total Cost of Ownership.
- Network Assessment - This assessment provides accurate insight on the vulnerability and overall effectiveness of current infrastructure. After assessing and scoring current network infrastructure, your technology partner will review the findings and provide recommendations. Also key is the process of planning, preparing end users, preparing infrastructure and on-board services. Finally, a network assessment should plan for and seek ongoing optimization.
Are you ready to declutter your document, print and network workflows? Consider Datamax. Our signature Datamax Discovery Program gives relevant technology recommendations for workflow, print or network, or, all of the above! Let's talk!
