You’ve got a whole new year ahead of you. Now is the time to define your IT strategy and what you’d like to achieve in 2024. If you’re not sure what to prioritize in terms of technology, the Stratosphere Networks team is here to help.
As you consider the 12 months ahead, here are some suggested IT resolutions for 2024.
1. Determine your artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.
If you haven’t already defined your AI strategy in detail, now is the time to do so if you want to avoid falling behind. Generative AI will be a workforce partner for 90 percent of companies worldwide by 2025, according to Gartner.
However, it’s vital to carefully consider the best approach for your organization before you start incorporating AI into your operations. Gartner has also predicted that over half of the enterprises that constructed large language models (LLMs) from scratch will scrap those projects by 2028 due to technical debt, cost and complexity.
Additionally, you must mitigate the risks associated with AI implementation, such as biases originating from flawed datasets and confidentiality issues presented by third-party AI tools. Only 47 percent of CIOs and tech leaders express confidence in their ability to mitigate AI risks, according to the 2023 Gartner AI Survey and noted in the Gartner 2023 IT Symposium/Xpo™ Keynote Insights.
Working with a managed IT service provider can streamline the process of identifying opportunities to leverage AI and deploying and monitoring the best solutions for your business. Learn more from our previous blog entry: “5 key ways a managed service provider can help with AI implementation.”
2. Overhaul your cybersecurity strategy to account for AI-fueled attacks.
In the hands of hackers, generative AI tools have fueled enhanced phishing campaigns, producing high volumes of targeted text and eliminating the typos that recipients used to rely on to identify malicious messages. With AI on their side, bad actors carried out nearly 500 percent more email cyberattacks in the first half of 2023 compared to the first six months of 2022, according to Acronis.
As a result, all businesses should switch to “next-gen” security awareness programs that address how to recognize and resist AI-driven social engineering, according to the SecurityWeek article “Five Cybersecurity Predictions for 2024.”
3. Focus on “how” instead of “what” to win customers over.
If you want to build strong relationships with your customers, concentrate on how you serve them instead of what you’re selling. Fifty-nine percent of people who love your company or products will break up with your brand after several bad experiences, according to a PwC survey of U.S. consumers.
To inspire loyalty in your client base, you must first earn their trust. For more info, check out our previous blog entry: “Want loyal customers? Focus on the ‘how’ instead of the ‘what.’”
4. Improve contact center performance with forecasting.
To deliver great customer experiences, you should concentrate on enhancing your call center operations. One surefire way to do that is implementing a contact center solution with forecasting capabilities.
A contact center platform that gathers and analyzes historical data can predict seasonal changes in demand, staff absences, and the ratio of inbound to outbound calls, allowing you to anticipate and prepare for fluctuations that could affect customer service.
Learn more about contact center performance improvement from our previous blog entry: “Measurement matters: Improve contact center performance with data collection, forecasting.”
5. Stop wasting your time with the wrong technology.
Gartner has found that a staggering 73 percent of tech buyers experience high levels of regret before they even implement the product they purchased. Choosing the wrong IT solution is a common and time-consuming problem. The average B2B buyer spends up to 20 hours researching their options before contacting a sales rep, according to Showpad. That figure goes up to 40 hours for solutions that cost $100,000 or more.
Don’t spend whole work weeks replacing regrettable tech purchases. Make the right choice the first time with assistance from third-party technology advisors with experience disrupting dysfunctional decision-making.
If you need guidance as you craft your IT resolutions for 2024, our advisors can assist you. Leveraging over 20 years of IT industry experience and access to the latest market research, niche solutions, and advanced tools for generating detailed comparison matrices, we can identify the best solutions for your business and craft an IT roadmap supporting your organization’s long-term success.
Take the first step toward a successful year today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
