Thankfully, black Friday and cyber Monday are over. As we settle in for the rest of the holiday rush and start looking toward 2013, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and miss out on some important, year-end activities.
Here are a few reminders to help you stay on top of your IT needs and systems in the new year.
Set Goals
Now is the time to get your team together and set achievable goals for 2013. Discuss issues and successes that happened in the last year and how you are going to use this information to make things run smoother in the coming year.
It makes sense to have your IT consultant participate in these meetings – we have insight into what’s coming up in the networking, cloud and server spaces, as well as practical expertise on getting the most from your IT investment.
Promote open communication so your team members can voice their ideas, concerns, suggestions, and feedback. This way, everyone will be part of the goal-setting process and know their responsibilities for the year ahead.
Update your website
Is your site ready for the New Year? This means that you need to update the copyright dates to 2013 on the appropriate content, install current updates to your software applications, check terms and privacy conditions, and more.
These are little things that are easy to forget, but they can mean a huge difference in the message you send to customers and advertisers. Plus, they can help protect your legal rights too.
Communicate
As the business owner, it’s important to keep your entire organization aware of upcoming plans and changes.
Inform all staff members what is going on with technology, your plans for the upcoming year and what they can do to help.
Keeping everyone in the loop avoids unnecessary issues from escalating into major problems. Share information to improve processes and increase working relationships throughout the entire organization.
Are you ready for 2013?
It’s a busy time of year for everyone, but don’t let that get in the way of your IT and business planning for 2013.
Set achievable goals with your team, and review all of the key issues from the past year. Make updates to your Website so that you protect your information legally and present current messaging to your customers.
And be sure to communicate your plans with everyone in your organization. This way, you’ll save time and money, as well as avoid confusion. Starting the year with a firm plan will put your business on the road to success in 2013.