Emma Mak • Staff Writer

“The clock is ticking” might seem like an obnoxious blog post title (like we all need another vaguely anxiety-provoking reminder in our day). But while not as big a deal as moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10, planning for the migration and not leaving it until the last minute is beneficial. Not because Windows 11 is a massive departure from Windows 10 feature-wise but because many companies will need significant hardware upgrades. 

From a strategic standpoint, besides planning this migration to coincide with a hardware refresh, you may want to consider coordinating some digital transformation initiatives, as well as look at the benefits of AI PCs . Now is an excellent time to move some services to the cloud and progress to modern endpoint management. Not only will they help with a smooth migration, but they’ll also benefit the efficiency of your IT infrastructure and potentially drive down costs.

Windows 10 End of Support

The Windows 10 end-of-support date is 14 October 2025. After this, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, bug fixes, or technical support for any version of Windows 10. Without security updates, the operating system will become increasingly vulnerable to security threats, and you may become out of compliance with industry regulations and standards that require supported operating systems. 

Although Microsoft will offer extended support options for those wanting to keep using Windows 10, customers must pay an annual ESU (Extended Security Update) subscription, with an opportunity to renew for up to two additional years. So, a paying customer could potentially extend the life of a Windows 10 PC until 10 October 2028. The cost of the subscription is unknown at this point. 

Critical Preparation for Migration

The most critical issue facing companies for this migration is the new standards and capabilities that make older PCs incompatible with Windows 11. Among other hardware requirements, such as support for Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, Windows 11 needs a relatively recent 64-bit CPU. Intel CPUs must be at least eighth generation (released in 2017), and AMD CPUs must be Ryzen 2000 (released in 2018) or newer. Microsoft’s reasons for these hardware requirements are to increase security and reliability.  

Research on the enterprise sector, which has around 33 million Windows devices, showed that in October 2023, adoption of Windows 11 stood at 8.35%. The same study revealed that only 67.5% of workstations were ready for the Windows 11 update. For example, two of our customers for whom we’ve checked inventory using a digital experience monitoring solution ranged from needing 10% of their devices upgraded to around 35% (or about 70,000 devices for that customer).

The To-Do List

To get an idea why the current lead-up to the deadline might go quickly, let’s look at what is needed to ensure a smooth transition to Windows 11 with minimal impact on your business:

• Take inventory of your environment to see which devices need replacing or updating and identify applications that are dependent on the operating system.
• Source technology needed to enable Windows 11, including hardware replacements and upgrades.
• Plan a timeline, communicate it to employees, and provide support as they transition.
• Dispose of obsolete equipment sustainably. 

Smarter Migration with a Managed Services Provider (MSP)

There are several services that an MSP can provide that can make Windows 11 migration go more smoothly.

Digital Experience Management

Microsoft tools can provide basic compatibility information to help determine if your current devices will, at a minimum, run Windows 11. However, Digital Experience Management can provide more detailed information regarding hardware readiness and give you a more comprehensive view of your IT estate. It can also track performance impact on the system, applications, and resource consumption as you roll out Windows 11.  

Smart Technology Sourcing and AI PCs

Most companies will need to replace at least some incompatible devices. An MSP with long-term original-equipment-manufacturer (OEM) partnerships with companies like Intel, Lenovo, and HP has better insight into which technology solutions will work for your company. They also have the added benefit of access to negotiated pricing, special discounts, and incentives. It’s also an opportune time to look at whether AI PCs are a good fit for your workforce so you can take advantage of AI integration across various facets of Windows 11.

Device Lifecycle Services

The migration is an ideal time to create a sustainable device lifecycle, including procurement of replacement models that will meet your employees’ needs while right-sizing for power and cost. Compucom’s Device Lifecycle services include IT Asset Disposition (ITAD), which takes care of device decommissioning and disposal and certified data destruction to protect your company’s data from bad actors.

Modern Endpoint Management Tools

While planning for your Windows 11 migration, it’s an opportune time to progress toward cloud-based services and introduce modern endpoint management tools such as Microsoft Intune and Autopilot. Doing so will help determine which devices need replacing for the migration and increase your company’s ability to efficiently deploy, configure, and manage your company’s devices, operating systems, and applications.

Where to Start

Compucom’s professional services team helps customers reach informed decisions regarding Windows 11 migration. A great way to start is with our Modern Endpoint Workshop. The agenda is tailored to be specific to your organization. Within about two weeks, expert architects provide an actionable roadmap to start your journey with modern endpoint management and present findings and recommendations on how to reach your target end state. 

The post The Clock is Ticking for Windows 10 — Plan for Windows 11 appeared first on Compucom.

Emma Mak • Staff Writer

The IT Leader’s Imperative: Update, Automate, Innovate

IT leaders play a pivotal role in keeping an organization competitive and efficient. The pressure to update, automate, and innovate is relentless. To reach your goals, you must constantly evaluate emerging technologies and carefully select and prioritize your IT investments to: 

• Increase productivity and satisfaction for users 
• Give your business a competitive edge 
• Prepare your company for the future  
• Provide the strongest ROI

Achieving the full revenue benefits of digital transformation efforts is especially challenging. A recent McKinsey Global Survey on digital strategy and investments found even top performers reported only capturing a median of 50% of the full potential revenue benefits of their recent transformations, compared with a median of 31% across all respondents – and 40 percent of the maximum cost benefit, compared with 25% across all respondents.  

With today’s limited budgets and shortage of appropriately skilled IT staff, navigating through challenges to help your company reach its IT potential is increasingly tricky. One powerful tool that can help is leveraging IT workshops and assessments from experienced technical experts, such as those provided by Compucom. 

Knowledge is Power: Leveraging Advice from Specialists

Our workshops and assessments provide an outside evaluation of your current situation by specialists experienced in helping companies like yours overcome similar challenges. 

Compucom’s workshops and assessments are an efficient, structured way of bringing your stakeholders together with our subject matter experts who take the time to understand your environment and culture, evaluate your current IT landscape, and offer insight on the benefits and drawbacks of available technology solutions. They also guide you towards best practices that will help limit the business impact and user downtime during technology transitions and away from common pitfalls, such as neglecting to drive user adoption effectively. 

Our workshops and assessments cover a diverse array of topics tailored to meet the unique needs of your business. Here are a few examples: 

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Pilot

Maximize accessibility while maintaining network security and integrity with Cisco ISE, an all-in-one enterprise policy control solution that provides comprehensive management of secure wired, wireless, and VPN access. 

Cisco Next Generation Wireless 

Enhance connectivity and performance with the next generation of wireless technology. Understand the benefits of Wi-Fi 6/6E and achieve a seamless, low-risk upgrade, ensuring your wireless endpoints are optimized to leverage supported features. 

Modern Endpoint Management (Jamf, Microsoft) 

Manage devices efficiently and securely for your hybrid workforce with unified endpoint management. Deploy, configure, update, and maintain compliance for your Windows and Mac devices with ease. 

IT Service Management (ITSM) 

Improve service delivery and satisfaction with our ServiceNow health check and assessments. Focus on improving processes (problem, change, critical incident, and configuration management) and IT asset and software management. 

What to Expect from the Workshop or Assessment Experience

Our workshops and assessments are designed to be comprehensive yet efficient, typically taking less than three weeks to complete. The process includes: 

Introductory Session 

Our subject matter experts (SMEs) gather information about your current systems, explain the benefits of potential solutions, and discuss what is required to reach your goals. 

Design Session 

We review your current solutions and architecture and discuss potential alternatives that align with your objectives. 

Pilot or Demo Session 

Where applicable, we install and configure the necessary technology to demonstrate its capabilities and potential impact on your organization. 

Presentation of Findings

We conclude by providing personalized recommendations and a custom roadmap, including planning options and next steps with service and hardware cost estimates.

The time commitment varies depending on the complexity of the issues being addressed. Sessions can last from an hour to a few days, and the final presentation typically lasts one to two hours.

Wherever You are in Your Transformation Journey, Unlock Your IT Potential with Us

By partnering with Compucom, you gain access to a wealth of expertise and resources designed to help you navigate the complexities of modern IT leadership. Together, we can achieve your goals and drive your organization toward a brighter, more efficient future. 

Whether you are just beginning your digital transformation or are well on your way, Compucom can assist you at any stage of your journey. Our technology experts work with you to evaluate your current situation and develop a roadmap for success. With broad industry experience and deep knowledge of technologies from multiple OEM partners, our team can provide valuable insights and guidance. 

Experience the benefits of our IT assessments and workshops to unlock the full potential of your IT infrastructure and workplace technology. Contact us today to schedule a consultation, and let’s transform your IT landscape together. When digital transformation succeeds, your business thrives. 

The post Plan for Success with Expert-Led Workshops and Assessments appeared first on Compucom.

David Krauthamer • Staff Writer

Summer is the perfect time to relax and recharge, and it’s also an excellent opportunity to invest in your professional and personal development. Whether you’re a CIO, CTO, or an IT enthusiast, we’ve curated the ultimate reading list to keep you informed, inspired, and ahead of the curve. Here are our top recommendations for summer reads: 

Top 5 Must-Reads for CIOs 

“Digital Transformation” by Thomas M. Siebel 

Thomas Siebel explores the disruptions caused by AI, cloud computing, big data, and IoT, offering insights on how CIOs can leverage these technologies to drive digital transformation within their organizations. 

“The Phoenix Project” by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford 

A novel about IT management, this book illustrates how to apply DevOps principles to improve IT operations and achieve business goals. This is a must-read for any CIO aiming to align IT with broader business objectives. 

“Measure What Matters” by John Doerr 

This book introduces the concept of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and how they can drive innovation. Doerr provides real-world examples from companies like Google and Intel, making it highly relevant for CIOs. 

“Team of Teams” by General Stanley McChrystal 

McChrystal compellingly argues why adaptability and decentralized decision-making are crucial in today’s complex business environment, providing practical advice for CIOs managing large teams. 

“IT Business Partnerships” by Joseph Topinka 

Focused on building a value-driven IT organization, this book lays out strategies for CIOs to forge effective partnerships within their businesses, ensuring IT initiatives align with company goals. 

Essential Summer Picks for CTOs 

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries 

Ries offers a framework for innovation and entrepreneurship within businesses. This book is invaluable for CTOs looking to foster a culture of continuous improvement and rapid prototyping. 

“High Output Management” by Andrew S. Grove 

Written by the former CEO of Intel, this classic book provides actionable insights on managing and scaling engineering teams, making it a must-read for CTOs. 

“The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton Christensen 

Christensen’s groundbreaking work on disruptive innovation offers critical lessons for CTOs looking to lead their organizations through technological changes and maintain a competitive edge. 

“Lean Enterprise” by Jez Humble, Joanne Molesky, and Barry O’Reilly 

This book dives into lean principles and practices tailored to large enterprises. It’s essential for CTOs focused on driving efficiency and innovation at scale. 

“The Pragmatic Programmer” by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas 

A timeless guide that covers practical tips for software development, this book is ideal for CTOs who want to ensure their teams are both productive and innovative. 

Engaging Reads for IT Workers

“Hacking Growth” by Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown 

Learn how to implement growth hacking techniques to drive user acquisition and retention, a valuable read for IT workers involved in product development and marketing. 

“Cybersecurity and Cyberwar” by P.W. Singer and Allan Friedman 

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current cybersecurity landscape and its implications, making it a crucial read for IT professionals focused on security. 

“Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans” by Melanie Mitchell 

Mitchell demystifies AI, explaining its capabilities and limitations. It’s an engaging read for IT workers interested in understanding AI and its future applications. 

“Automate This” by Christopher Steiner 

Explore how algorithms are taking over various industries and what this means for the future of work. It’s a fascinating read for IT workers curious about automation. 

“Clean Code” by Robert C. Martin 

A go-to manual for writing clean, maintainable code, this book is essential for IT workers aiming to improve their coding practices and software quality. 

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Summer Reading List 

1. Create a Reading Routine. Dedicate a specific time each day for reading. Whether it’s during your morning coffee or before bed, consistency is key to making progress. 

2. Join a Book Club or Discussion Group. Engage with others who share your interests. Discussing books can deepen your understanding and provide new perspectives. 

3. Take Notes and Apply Learnings. Keep a journal of key takeaways and actionable insights. Apply these learnings to your professional life to see real benefits. 

4. Mix Genres and Formats. Don’t limit yourself to just one type of book or format. Mix it up with audiobooks, e-books, and physical copies to keep things interesting. 

5. Set Achievable Goals. Set realistic reading goals to stay motivated. Whether it’s one book a month or a chapter a day, having a goal helps keep you on track. 

Conclusion

Summer is the perfect time to expand your horizons through reading. Whether you’re a CIO, CTO, or IT worker, these books and the knowledge they contain will help you stay ahead in your profession while also providing some much-needed relaxation. 

Remember to share what you learn with your leadership, colleagues, business partners, and teams. Plus, books make the ultimate gift. Happy reading! 

The post Essential Summer Reads for Technology Leaders appeared first on Compucom.

Emma Mak • Staff Writer

Amidst the turbulence of recent years, patients have observed how healthcare, a former laggard in providing fast, convenient, digitally enabled experiences, was quick to innovate. And now they’re not easing up — holding providers accountable to maintain that innovation momentum. 

Digital transformation used to mainly refer to turning paper processes digital. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies, it often means thinking outside the box (or outside the hospital walls) to create new and innovative ways of improving processes, reducing costs, and delivering better patient care and outcomes to satisfy healthcare’s “consumers.” Let’s explore what consumer patients now expect and how digital transformation can help healthcare organizations deliver. 

The Intersection of Digital Transformation and High Patient Expectations 

Being a patient is stressful, and it just makes sense that they’ll appreciate healthcare providers’ efforts to make processes more streamlined and convenient. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), provider organizations must work on “developing and implementing a tightly integrated mobile strategy that ties together all consumer-facing digital elements to create a seamless experience throughout the patient journey.”

Studies also show that most patients want to leverage technology to self-manage their care, have telehealth available, and schedule, change, and cancel appointments online. An effective strategy could include the following components:

1. Fast and Convenient Interactions

• AI Chatbots: These virtual assistants can handle routine queries and appointment scheduling and provide some general health information 24/7. They’re a quick way for patients to get answers, reducing the need for phone calls or in-person visits, which allows healthcare staff to focus on more complex tasks.
• Cloud-Based Appointment Systems: Cloud platforms enable seamless appointment booking, rescheduling, and reminders. Patients can access these services from anywhere, making them super convenient. Providers can analyze appointment data for optimization.

2. Digital Solutions

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in the Cloud: Cloud-based EHRs allow seamless data sharing among providers and easy scalability for growing data volumes.
• Telemedicine Platforms: Telehealth solutions enable virtual consultations, improving access for patients and making a great step towards healthcare access equality for rural and elderly patients.
• Mobile Health Apps: Cloud-based apps support health tracking, medication reminders, and personalized recommendations. Using them can keep patients actively participating in their health management and allow for easy data collection of health metrics to inform clinicians’ decisions.

3. Personalized Treatment Options

• AI-Driven Personalization: AI can help clinicians tailor treatment plans based on the analysis of patient data, including medical history, genetics, and lifestyle. Predictions can be made for optimal drug choices, and risk assessment can help avoid potential adverse effects.
• Patient Portals: Portals on the cloud empower patients to have access to test results, treatment plans, and educational materials. Patients are better able to self-manage their personal information and preferences and can securely message with their providers. 

How an MSP Can Help with Healthcare Digital Transformation 

A managed service provider can play a crucial role in supporting healthcare organizations as they navigate the intersection of patient expectations, digital transformation, and cost-effectiveness.  

Infrastructure and Cloud Services

Healthcare cloud usage is gradually replacing on-premises infrastructure. However, many healthcare providers are still early in the process and have yet to adopt mature solutions that maximize the benefits of the cloud and the opportunities it brings for better patient experience and care.

When selecting the right cloud platform to ensure security, scalability, and cost optimization, an experienced MSP can guide you to the right solution and take care of deployment and maintenance. Ensure the MSP you select has experienced resources who can properly integrate AI for IT Operations (AIOps) platform tools to ensure your infrastructure is properly monitored, optimized, and managed.

An MSP can also help with data center management, ensuring high availability, disaster recovery, and compliance with industry standards such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Security and Compliance

While healthcare organizations must look to innovate and provide consumer-like experiences for patients, this must not be at the expense of losing privacy. Healthcare organizations are a favorite target of cybercriminals due to their data’s high monetary and intelligence value, including intellectual property and patients’ health records and financial information. Staying on top of constant threats can be too much for a healthcare provider’s internal team.

An experienced MSP can help make improvements that will enhance your cybersecurity posture. By conducting vulnerability assessments and designing and implementing robust security measures, an MSP with trusted security partners, such as Cisco and Stratejm, can help protect patient data, ensure compliance with regulations, and coordinate solutions that monitor for ongoing threats. 

Compucom: An Ideal Partner for Elevating Patient Digital Experience

Compucom offers a comprehensive portfolio of services, encompassing Technology Sourcing, Managed Services and IT Support, and Projects and Professional services, including IT staffing, to help you reach your digital transformation goals.

By getting multiple services from one provider, you simplify IT and gain a strategic partner who deeply understands your operations and can add value to all aspects of your business. Look to us for all things IT so you can give your patients great digital experiences while you meet their healthcare needs.

The post Digital Transformation and the Rising Expectations of Patients as Consumers appeared first on Compucom.

Emma Mak • Staff Writer

In January 1981, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection was signed. Since then, the extent of the world’s digital interconnectivity has grown exponentially, with individuals and organizations accessing data from almost everywhere in the world. 

In honor of National Data Privacy Week, a celebration of that signing and a call for individuals and businesses to understand and respect privacy and data protection, here are five ways to improve data privacy in your hybrid workplace. 

1. Understand Your Risk Posture

A clear-eyed view of your company’s cybersecurity posture helps identify vulnerabilities and improvement opportunities. An assessment should include quantifying risks, finding gaps, and comparing your overall posture to industry and global standards.

Don’t be shocked if your company falls short. A 2023 Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Report indexed companies on five pillars of security: identity (users), devices, network, application workloads, and data. They concluded that only 15% of organizations globally had a mature level of preparedness to handle the security risks associated with hybrid work. 

2. Implement Zero-Trust Access 

Zero-Trust Access is a security model that requires continual authentication of users, devices, and applications, whether inside or outside the organization’s perimeter. It operates under the valid assumption that breaches will happen and focuses on detection, response, and rapid recovery to limit their consequences. Implementing Zero-Trust Access helps enhance data privacy in a hybrid workplace by:

• Reducing risk to endpoints by ensuring that every access request is fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access
• Improving compliance and intellectual property protection by verifying each transaction and asserting least privilege access
• Safeguarding identities with multifactor authentication (MFA) for all user identities accessing the environment, providing an additional layer of security from unauthorized access

Your security model should balance safeguards with good user experience to ensure productivity is maintained and users don’t consider circumventing systems just to get their work done. 

3. Protect Your Last Line of Defense — Your Users

Distributed workers may access your company’s data from any location and be required to manage multiple passwords. This makes users a useful “gateway” for bad actors to exploit, especially for companies using a weak security model that allows attackers to move laterally within the network. 

Having multiple layers of security to protect users is a wise investment. As part of a broader Zero Trust approach, implementing a comprehensive security product like Cisco’s Duo helps protect your users with features including:

• Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
• Device Trust
• Adaptive Access Policies
• Single Sign-On 

4. Educate Employees on Phishing Scams

Implementing comprehensive security solutions goes a long way to protecting your company, but criminals are unrelenting in their pursuit of valuable data. Phishing scam strategies are always changing to get your employees to divulge sensitive information – and generative AI has been a big boost for attackers, enabling more sophisticated phishing campaigns.

Providing regular training to your workforce will set them up to guard and remain vigilant against the latest phishing attacks — and is an essential part of your cybersecurity strategy.

5. Take Care of Old and Decommissioned Assets/Devices

Ensure the safe disposal of obsolete or unwanted IT equipment in a manner that is mindful of your data security and environmental impact with robust ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) policies. These can significantly improve data privacy for your hybrid workforce by completely wiping data from devices before they are disposed of or repurposed – preventing sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. 

How a Managed Services Provider (MSP) Can Help 

When looking for an MSP to help fortify your company’s privacy and data protection capabilities and keep up with the constant wave of ever-evolving cyber threats, look for one with strong, long-term partnerships with industry leaders like Cisco.  

At Compucom, we can advise you on developing and maintaining a resilient cybersecurity posture, from assessing your current tools and systems to helping you navigate the deployment and integration of best-fit security solutions across your IT infrastructure. 

The post 5 Ways to Improve Data Privacy in the Hybrid Workplace appeared first on Compucom.

Emma Mak • Staff Writer

Just as orchestra musicians without a conductor will struggle with the coordination and expression of a complex piece of music — siloed sourcing, where individual departments or business units procure their own technology, misses the opportunity for an efficient, harmonious procurement strategy.

Without a centralized “conductor,” larger companies end up with a mix of redundant and/or incompatible technologies. As each department negotiates separate contracts and shells out different amounts for the same technology, it’s the company that pays the price. 

Break Down the Silos in Your Company 

Sure, silos have benefits, such as fostering positive team relationships and the aggregation of expertise, but they are generally considered harmful to business health and growth. A lack of communication between departments results in inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, or lost collaboration and innovation opportunities.  

Silos can create challenges in getting a complete picture of a company’s operations and can often foster an “us versus them” mentality, decreasing morale and damaging company culture.

With centralized sourcing, you promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments. When all departments use the same business solutions, it becomes easier for employees to work together and share information, leading to increased productivity and better decision-making. 

Advantages of a Centralized Sourcing Approach

Centralized sourcing means having a dedicated team or department responsible for sourcing technology solutions for the entire organization. This approach has several advantages:

• Smart purchases and better budgeting: All technology purchases are aligned with the company’s overall strategy and goals.  
• Stronger negotiating power: By consolidating buying and negotiating power, the company can get the best deals from vendors.
• Standardized infrastructure: IT teams are enabled to standardize and secure the company’s technology infrastructure, which can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ensure compliance.

MSPs Further Strengthen Your Procurement Strategy

Perhaps you’ve decided to move to centralized sourcing, or you’ve already got a centralized program, but it’s inefficient, and your departments have tended to “go rogue” in frustration. Partnering with a managed services provider (MSP) can further strengthen your product procurement strategy and bring everyone back in line; selecting an MSP with close OEM partnerships can deliver negotiated pricing, special discounts, and incentives.

Using an MSP for technology procurement will help you manage and reduce product and operational costs and meet your sustainability goals. You’ll reap the benefits of a single-source provider who can help streamline your procurement processes and, most importantly, deliver the best technology solutions for your business. 

Managing Assets

To help with making informed decisions about purchasing and replacement, an accurate IT asset inventory is crucial. An MSP can help you set up IT Asset Management (ITAM) to provide a comprehensive framework for managing your assets throughout their lifecycle, from acquisition to disposal, and ensuring they are always up-to-date and functioning optimally.  

Besides helping with budgeting, calculating depreciation, and forecasting, ITAM also aids in compliance with regulatory standards, identifying potential security risks, preventing unnecessary purchases, and identifying underutilized assets. 

A Trusted Procurement Partner

By adopting a centralized technology sourcing approach, businesses can achieve compliance, standardization, and cost savings, ultimately staying competitive, efficient, and thriving in today’s fast-paced business world.  

Compucom’s experience implementing solutions across various industries has given us the expertise to make product recommendations and map out a best-fit technology solution for your situation. We’re not going to push products that don’t fit your needs because, quite often, an ideal solution is a mix of different technologies. Our focus is delivering complete technology solutions — meaning the right products that will work best in your environment, backed by the right services, to provide the best user experience.  

The post Tech Sourcing: Siloed vs. Centralized appeared first on Compucom.

David Krauthamer • Staff Writer

Technology and Services Continue to Drive Strategic Planning

Digital Transformation helps companies enhance their operations, improve customer experiences, and stay ahead of the competition. In 2024, it will continue to be a significant factor in the success of enterprise organizations. Companies choosing to strategize with a bold digital transformation path that embraces emerging technologies will be the ones to thrive in the coming years.   

As we look forward to 2024, backed by our discussions with customers and analysts, we anticipate digital transformation efforts are best focused in the following ways:  

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Become the Norm

AI has already made a considerable impact on the business world. Organizations will continue looking to AI-powered tools to automate processes, improve analysis and decision-making, and enhance employee and customer experiences, integrating AI into many aspects of business operations, from customer service to supply chain management. 

2. Cybersecurity Will Remain a Top Priority

As in previous years, we expect a strong emphasis on cybersecurity as organizations continue protecting their data and systems from attacks. The ongoing prevalence of the distributed workforce means the risk of cyber threats shows no sign of ending.

Companies must provide ongoing education to their workforce regarding best practices for guarding against attacks and invest in advanced security measures, such as AI-powered threat detection.  

3. Sustainability Will Continue to Guide Business Decision-Making

Sustainability is already a top priority for many organizations, and this trend will continue in 2024. Companies will take a more comprehensive approach, looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and operate more sustainably. This will involve leveraging digital technologies to improve energy efficiency, reduce paper usage, and optimize transportation.

Companies that focus on reducing eWaste can have a big impact on the fastest-growing solid waste stream in the US. 

4. The Internet of Things (IoT) Will Become Even More Valuable to Large Companies

IoT already impacts many industries, and we predict its adoption will grow rapidly in the next few years. In 2024, we will see more organizations leveraging IoT devices to collect data, automate processes, and enhance customer experiences. This will include using smart sensors, wearables, and other connected devices.  

5. The Relationship Between Human and Machine Will Grow Stronger

As AI becomes more ubiquitous, we predict companies leveraging collaboration between workers and AI will benefit the most. When used effectively, AI can free workers from grunt work, augment their analytical capabilities, and save businesses from costly human errors. Companies who equip their talent with powerful AI tools for valuable and interesting work like cost and risk reduction for IT Operations will get the best ROI and retain and attract the best employees. 

Digital Transformation: The Key to Staying Competitive 

According to a recent Forbes article, “Digital transformation doesn’t end – it’s an ongoing process, and the breakthrough trends that have made 2023 one of the most exciting years for innovation will continue to reshape our world in many exciting ways.”

We believe that digital transformation is more than just buying the right technology. It’s planning with a purpose and a goal in mind. It’s about driving growth, attracting and retaining top talent, and everything we’ve talked about so far. But most of all it’s about positive outcomes and meeting your business objectives.

Now, we understand that digital transformation can be a daunting process for many organizations. The speed at which technology evolves can make it challenging to keep up. However, investing in digital transformation and the technology and services that power it is crucial to staying competitive in the future. By embracing new technologies and leveraging them to enhance their operations, companies can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create better customer experiences.

Make a Flexible Employee Experience Possible

One of the biggest reasons transformation efforts often fall short is a lack of understanding and experience to implement them successfully. Our experienced and knowledgeable consultants can help you realize your digital transformation objectives while achieving maximum ROI. We want to become your trusted advisor and go-to source for all things IT: providing technology solutions, transformative professional services, user-centric managed services, and IT staffing. 

The post 2024: Five Digital Transformation Trends appeared first on Compucom.

Troy Baldwin • Director, Offering Management

Remember the last time you called your electric company, filed an insurance claim, or bought something online? Maybe you took a trip with a new airline or went to a different restaurant.

Looking back, did you like the experience? Did you hate it? What did you think of the company that provided it? 

CX Matters 

In today’s economy, companies, especially retailers, are focusing on customer experience (CX) in an effort to understand customer needs.

But what does it mean to put the customers’ needs at the center of your company’s business strategy? More than just meeting their immediate needs to get the sale, it means ensuring they have a flawless customer experience throughout their entire journey with you – technology plays a critical role in this. 

CX and Technology: The Foundation

At Compucom, we believe that Customer Experience (CX) and technology should be the foundation of any business. When a customer is satisfied with their service, there is a higher potential of creating brand loyalty and even promoting your company to others.

Partnering with a Managed Services Provider (MSP) that designs its solutions around the end-user and customer experience ensures your infrastructure, systems, and applications set you up to deliver the customer experience that is expected of your brand.

CX and IT Managed Services: The Benefits 

According to a Salesforce customer engagement report, 88% of respondents say that “the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services.” We make it a point to understand your goals and vision for the customer experience as part of your overall business needs – acting as a true partner in driving your success.

Here’s a look at the benefits and efficiencies that well-thought-out managed IT services and solutions can bring to your customer and employee experience (which are tightly linked) while at the same time freeing up valuable in-house technical resources:

• Scalability and Flexibility – As your organization changes, your IT needs change – quickly pivot your services as required with flexibility that allows you to meet customer demands more effectively. 
• 24/7 Support – You can have reliable support anytime, anywhere.
• Access to the latest technology –  Don’t worry about slipping behind industry trends and latest technological advancements; we’ve got you covered.
• Reliable Infrastructure – Our expertise ensures your organization’s IT infrastructure is reliable and supports optimal CX while scaling easily. 
• Proactive Monitoring – Deploy advanced monitoring tools that proactively detect and address IT problems before they impact your employees and customers.
• Enhanced Security Measures – Implement and manage robust security measures that protect both your customers’ information and the organization’s reputation.  
• Data Management and Backup – Implement data management and backup solutions – ensuring your customer data is recoverable and safe.  
• Compliance and Regulatory Support – Maintaining compliance with industry regulations and data protection laws prevents the risks of fines, penalties, and damage to your company’s reputation.
• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery – To ensure that your organization can quickly recover from disruptions, partner with an MSP that can provide disaster recovery planning that ensures business continuity.  

When you partner with Compucom, you can free up your internal resources and improve IT efficiency, ultimately allowing you to focus on your business objectives. By maintaining open communication, offering tailored solutions, delivering high-quality services, and prioritizing your needs, we can help you establish and maintain long, strong customer relationships. 

The Compucom Advantage

Compucom is a leading IT MSP specializing in delivering end-to-end lifecycle services, technology, and consulting to enable the digital workplace. We understand the value of the customer experience and the importance of getting it right. With over 35 years of experience under our belt, we can provide end-to-end services no matter the scale. 

Creating and supporting a successful digital workplace requires an emphasis on easy-to-use and reliable solutions for the end user. Our solutions facilitate the flexibility, speed, and nimbleness people need to connect with the right technology anywhere, anytime, effortlessly, and from any device.  

The post Sale or No Sale: 9 Benefits MSPs Bring to Retail CX appeared first on Compucom.

Emma Mak • Staff Writer

Off the top of your head, which corporations do you consider disruptors? Uber, Tesla, Domino’s Pizza, and Netflix? These are just some of the biggest, and it’s no coincidence that each of these market giants counts digital transformation as a prime factor in their dominance.

Digital transformation drives businesses to evolve, building resilience and competitiveness in a fast-paced world. A McKinsey study found that organizations embracing it were 26% more profitable than their peers.

But effectively strategizing for reduced costs, improved operations, and greater business flexibility and agility means acknowledging a hard truth: digital transformation can be challenging to achieve, and typical success rates hover at a dismal 30% or less. 

Digital Transformation Risks

Where can digital transformation go wrong? Some of the risks include:

• High costs: digital transformation can be expensive
• Resistance to change: some employees may resist changes to their work processes or new technologies
• Skills gaps: companies may struggle to find employees with the necessary skills to implement digital transformation

Many companies avoid these pitfalls and increase their odds of ending up in the winner’s circle by taking advantage of the low-hanging fruit of digital transformation. Device as a Service (DaaS) is a prime example of a service that checks all the right boxes.

Avoiding the Pitfalls by Using DaaS

DaaS is a per-device, consumption-based subscription model providing businesses with the latest laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Each device comes conveniently preconfigured and customized with productivity and security applications and includes value-added services such as personalized support.

By outsourcing hardware, software, and device management to a managed services provider (MSP), organizations can be more flexible, scaling devices up or down as needed and shifting costs to operating expenses, making budgeting for the years ahead much easier.

DaaS Helps Organizations Save Money

Many digital transformation initiatives require significant upfront investment before any long-term benefits and cost savings are realized. But DaaS allows for the reduction of capital expenditures out of the gate by avoiding the purchase and ownership of IT assets.

And there are further financial benefits. Because of the services it includes, DaaS decreases the time and resources needed to manage devices. Additionally, efficiencies are gained through reduced over-provisioning or under-utilization of IT resources.

Get Help Addressing Employee Resistance to Change

A well-established provider will have long-term partnerships with leading vendors, giving users access to familiar and user-friendly technology they love. The customizable nature of DaaS solutions enables the right fit to meet the needs and preferences of employees.

Finally, a provider can bring extensive experience in how to effectively communicate the benefits and rationale of transformation initiatives, increasing company-wide buy-in.

Fill Your Skill Gaps When Implementing DaaS

Partner with a DaaS provider who has the subject matter experts and broad-ranging experience to make your digital transformation efforts a success. From planning and forecasting through buying, deploying, asset tracking, support, and retirement of assets, they can provide the skill sets needed.

Device as a Service (DaaS) — A Viable Digital Transformation Strategy

There might be smaller-scale initiatives to start with, but to increase buy-in for their full digital-transformation journey, companies should consider the easy success and numerous benefits of DaaS.

Not only will DaaS decrease capital spending, simplify IT management, and reduce related costs, but it will make employees happy — they get the current devices they actually want, with built-in refresh cycles and great support.

An MSP with deep vendor relationships and extensive digital transformation experience make a great partner for implementing DaaS. They can help ensure your initiatives skirt the typical pitfalls.

Compucom: Your Go-To Source For All Things IT

One of the biggest reasons transformation efforts fail is a company’s lack of understanding and experience to implement such transformations successfully.

Our talented Professional Services consultants can help you realize your digital transformation objectives while achieving ROI.

We want to become your trusted advisor and go-to source for all things IT: providing product solutions, transformative professional services, user-centric managed services, and IT staffing.

The post Avoid Digital Transformation Pitfalls with Device as a Service (DaaS) appeared first on Compucom.

Compucom Editorial Team

Boost Productivity and Collaboration for Your Enterprise Organization

Your IT infrastructure has never been more critical to your company’s success. Combining the right hardware, software, people, and processes for an infrastructure that enables communication, creates efficiencies, protects data, and optimizes the user experience is a tall order, often falling to an already overburdened IT department. 

And the stakes are high: A successful digital workplace with optimized end-user productivity and collaboration helps your employees meet business objectives and drives a competitive edge for your business. 

Getting it wrong can result in serious connectivity, productivity, and security issues — real threats to the profitability of your enterprise. 

The right IT Managed Services Provider (MSP) partner brings real-world experience and deep infrastructure expertise, collaborating with your IT team to plan and deliver smart solutions. Additionally, taking advantage of managed IT services gains your team the breathing room to pursue further critical initiatives that can help move your business forward. 

Here are seven crucial questions a decision-maker should consider when their goal is a more robust IT infrastructure: 

1. Is our company experiencing rapid growth? MSPs help your technology grow with your company by providing scalable solutions – choose the services you want, accurately estimate your costs, and scale up or down as needed, using any extra cash to reinvest into your growth initiatives.
   
   
2. Is our in-house IT department overwhelmed? Reduce the day-to-day maintenance tasks of your IT team by implementing unified endpoint management or expand your capabilities with staff augmentation.
   
   
3. Does our technology need updating? Maintain productivity and collaboration by automating the infrastructure updates necessary to keep your systems running smoothly, increasing efficiencies proactively (rather than reactively).
   
   
4. Do we need to reduce costs without sacrificing stability? A good MSP can help create a roadmap to eliminate unnecessary spending, optimize new technology, and help your business grow. They can also bring economies of scale, specialized tools, and software to reduce operational costs without compromising service levels.
   
   
5. Do our employees experience frequent downtime? Expertise, high-quality support, and maintenance for critical systems reduce the likelihood of downtime and lost productivity while improving overall system performance. By proactively monitoring your infrastructure, applications, and collaboration tools, MSPs help identify and resolve issues before they become problems.
   
   
6. Do we have consistent and reliable access to our data? Spotty access to critical information such as financial data and order histories can interrupt your operations, resulting in lost productivity and revenue. MSPs provide the experience and tools to maintain access and quickly restore disrupted services so your employees are minimally impacted, if at all.|
   
   
7. Is our network secure? You want peace of mind as employees collaborate on sensitive projects or work with confidential information. State-of-the-art monitoring, strong password and multi-factor authentication policies, firewalls, anti-virus programs, and employee cybersecurity training are fundamental. An effective MSP has the experience to help you implement and manage comprehensive, robust security solutions.
   

No matter what industry you are in, you need to be prepared for possible tough times ahead that include IT talent shortages, remote/hybrid work challenges, and ever-present cybersecurity threats. By providing flexible 24x7x365 service, scalability, up-to-date technology, consistent performance, security, and cost savings, a good, reliable MSP can be your saving grace in times of trouble.

Compucom’s services deliver the best technology, experience, and support for your workforce. For many of our long-term customers, we’ve also become a trusted advisor they invite to discuss strategy and transformation projects to modernize their infrastructure and business processes.

By having one provider for all your IT needs, you simplify your operations and gain a strategic partner with insight into your workforce requirements and business goals. Partnering with Compucom will help you to build resiliency and thrive in these challenging times. 

The post Your IT Infrastructure: 7 Critical Questions appeared first on Compucom.