In the fast-paced world of IT, where technologies evolve at lightning speed and the demands on systems and infrastructure are growing exponentially, the temptation to maintain the status quo can be all too enticing. After all, change can be daunting, and the familiar feels safe. What many IT professionals fail to realize, however, is that doing nothing is still a choice – and often, it’s a costly one.
Picture this: your organization’s IT ecosystem resembles a patchwork quilt, with layers upon layers of technologies and applications stitched together in a haphazard manner. Some of these tools were implemented years ago, others were hastily added to address immediate needs, and very few were designed to seamlessly communicate with one another. As a result, your IT team finds itself constantly firefighting, troubleshooting issues as they arise, and duct-taping solutions together to keep the entire system afloat.
What it means to remain in status quo in today’s complex IT landscape:
- Fragmented Data: Disparate systems lead to siloed data, making it challenging to derive meaningful insights and make informed decisions.
- Increased Vulnerability: Outdated software and neglected security protocols create gaping vulnerabilities, leaving your organization exposed to cyber threats.
- Inefficient Processes: Manual, repetitive tasks drain resources and impede productivity, preventing your team from focusing on strategic initiatives and ongoing innovation.
- Rising Costs: The longer outdated systems linger, the more expensive they become to maintain, with hidden costs multiplying and accruing over time.
The opportunity cost of doing nothing to address these issues is what you lose out on by not taking action. It’s the potential for stifled innovation, untapped efficiency, and a lack of competitive edge. Simply put, failing to take on IT challenges today can and will have significant repercussions tomorrow.
So, what’s the solution? Intelligent IT automation.
By leveraging automation tools and technologies, organizations can streamline workflows, eliminate manual errors, and improve overall efficiency. Mundane tasks like software updates, data backups, and system monitoring can be automated, freeing up valuable time for IT professionals to focus on more strategic endeavors.
Let’s use something like password resets as an example. It may seem simple, but according to Gartner, 40% of help desk requests are related to password resets. Furthermore, Forrester Research estimates each individual reset costs $70. For an organization of thousands or tens of thousands of employees, those costs can really add up. Meanwhile, skilled IT professionals are wasting their valuable time and talents on mundane, repetitive—but necessary—work.
Automation can be the solution to this, as well as any number of business use cases that are outdated and/or dragging your IT team down. Things like service stop/start, disk space remediation, infrastructure provisioning, and so much more. From tedious tasks to mission-critical operations, intelligent automation can empower your IT team and enable faster business innovation in the most efficient way possible.
It’s important to recognize that automation isn’t just a Band-Aid for immediate problems, either. Rather, it’s an investment in the long-term, sustainable health and agility of your IT infrastructure. By proactively addressing the challenges of today, organizations can future-proof their systems and better position themselves to adapt to the ever-evolving technological landscape.
Think about incident response as another example. Rather than taking a reactive approach to incoming issues and dealing with the costly delays and downtime that often result, intelligent automation can do the heavy lifting, continuously monitoring to spot anomalies and potential issues before they even occur, and autonomously resolving incidents without the need for human intervention. This type of approach not only addresses a current need but will also fortify your organization’s infrastructure for the long term.
Just as regular exercise and a balanced diet are investments in your physical health, intelligent automation is an investment in the health of your organization’s IT infrastructure. Sure, it may require some effort and upfront investment, but the dividends it pays in terms of efficiency, security, and scalability far outweigh the costs of doing nothing.
In conclusion, the cost of doing nothing in IT is not just a matter of missed opportunities; it’s a recipe for stagnation and eventual obsolescence. Embracing change, investing in automation, and addressing the problems of today are essential steps towards building a resilient and future-ready IT ecosystem. After all, doing nothing is still a choice – but is it one your organization can really afford?
Discover how Resolve helped a telco giant shore up its network operations to automate 137+ use cases and save 100,000 man hours in just one year. Click here to read the case study now.
