Checklist

5 Ways Technology CanACCELERATE YOUR GROWTHAs you juggle the many challenges of planning for business expansion while controlling expenses, you may be overlooking a factor that is critical in the success or failure of planned growth: your organization’s technology.

When implemented correctly, technology supports business growth. But when you fail to consider all the ways in which expansion will affect your technology needs, you’ll quickly find that inadequate technology is holding your business back.

Review each of the items in the checklist that follows to determine whether technology is advancing your business or slowing you down. Then assess any changes your organization may need to make to reach expansion goals.

1. INNOVATION

Today’s technology can drive innovation and speed to market or hold your enterprise back while competitors sail past. With predictions of over 5.4 billion devices connected to the Internet by 2020, companies must adopt the tools that allow them to gather, access and understand data about market trends, customer preferences and much more. Cloud-based solutions are a cost-effective means of expanding resources while preserving valuable resources that are better invested in business growth. To support enterprise innovation and the ability to execute quickly on new opportunities, consider: • How can machine-to-machine (M2M)

technology deliver operational efficiency and cost savings for your organization while delivering new insights from a constant flow of data?

• Are cloud computing and managed IT services being leveraged to create the most agile and responsive technology infrastructure?

• Do you have a cloud-based infrastructure and a Big Data analytics strategy to provide you with an intelligent view to secure, actionable data?

2. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Today, customers expect a seamless, consistent experience, whether they interact with your brand on physical, digital or mobile channels. And you have the opportunity to stay connected with your customers; gain a 360-degree view of their buying habits, interests and needs; and use this information to tailor personalized outreach and communication. To provide world-class customer service, consider: • Do you have the right technology platform to

implement a global omnichannel strategy? • Are you prepared to leverage multiple digital

formats, including mobile, web and more, to deliver an optimized digital experience for your customers?

• Do you have the tools you need to analyze your customer and market data and transform it into actionable insights to inform your marketing and sales strategies?

3. CAPEX VS. OPEX

Outsourcing offers many benefits to a growing company, including controlling costs, freeing up internal resources and providing access to needed IT resources.1 To ensure you are fully exploiting the potential of outsourcing to support business growth, consider: • Are you still maintaining a premise-based

phone system, such as a PBX? • Do your communications solutions enable

real-time collaboration with your employees, freelancers, consultants or contractors?

• Do you have adequate IT resources and skills in-house to support planned growth?

4. WORKFORCE MOBILITY

International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts the number of mobile workers worldwide will

Cloud-based solutions are a cost-effective means of expanding resources while preserving valuable resources that are better invested in business growth.

1 Nearly half (44%) of companies outsource to reduce or control costs; 34% outsource to gain access to IT resources unavailable internally; and 31% outsource to free up internal resources. Sourcing Line Computer Economics, www.statisticbrain.com/outsourcing-statistics-by-country

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reach 1.3 billion this year.2 As you prepare to compete in this new world of work, consider: • Is poor network performance slowing your

employees down? • Do employees have always-on access to the

systems, tools and data they need? • How will employees ensure they always

receive important business phone calls and collaborate with colleagues when they are out of the office?

• Will planned mergers, acquisitions or consolidations require integrating disparate teams and IT systems?

5. SECURITY

Threats to data security have become not only more frequent, but also more challenging.3 Thanks to the explosion of data and the ubiquity of mobile devices in the workplace, CISOs must worry not just about protecting infrastructure, but also about remote access, unauthorized BYOD, secure storage and more.Breaches can cost your company money and

permanently damage its reputation.4 To ensure proper security is in place to support business expansion, consider: • Has your business suffered a security breach?

Do you have a documented breach prevention plan?

• Has someone in your partner network suffered a security breach? Do you know what security measures your partners have in place?

• Do you have a program that manages the risks associated with partners or internal business units that share your data?

By carefully assessing how your organization’s IT needs are likely to change as it expands, you will be well prepared to select the right solutions for each stage of growth. As you make these decisions, partnering with an IT vendor experienced in the critical technology issues above can ensure that your organization is poised for success.

To learn more about how technology can help you grow your business, contact a Verizon representative at GrowthCheck1@verizon.com.

2 IDC, Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2011-2015 Forecast, Doc # 232073, December 20113 In 2013, there were more than 63,000 security incidents worldwide and over 1,300 confirmed data breaches — an all-time high. Verizon,

2014 Data Breach Investigations Report, www.verizonenterprise.com/DBIR/2014/4 Nearly seven in 10 consumers are less likely to do business with an organization whose data has been breached. Verizon, 2015 PCI

Compliance Report, www.verizonenterprise.com/pcireport/2015/