We can all agree that technology has never been easier to acquire and messier to manage.
Do a quick Google search for “how do I solve ___” and the solutions instantly appear.
Buy Now and Download Now deliver the tool you need wherever you are.
Subscriptions are easy and affordable.
When IT doesn’t respond as quickly as you would like, the internet puts you in control.
Everyone becomes their own ad hoc technology solution provider.
The internet lets everyone feel like they know more than they do.
Unknown to users and the IT teams that support them, software providers are continually pushing out fixes and enhancements. What worked one way today has changed. Users are confused, and IT is expected to immediately have the solution.
The expectations for what IT does are often unrealistic. Technology is complex, and the skills required are increasingly more specialized. Leaders need to become more tech savvy to gain a deeper understanding of the resources needed to support their organization.
So what’s a strategic-minded leader to do?
You start with a “you are here” discovery. The fancy technical term for this is Technology Asset Management (or ITAM). But don’t let the boring, stuffy words get in your way.
Here’s why.
The Simple Purpose of Technology
The purpose of technology is simple –
technology discovers unexpected opportunities and solves business problems. What better way to put technology to work than to gather all of your technology assets into a centralized collection that everyone in your organization can access.
If you’re a small company, you will build a long-term, scalable foundation. Large organizations declutter, dust, and discover years of accumulated tools and technologies.
An Automated Technology Asset Inventory Isn’t as Boring as It Sounds
Technology is expensive, and it needs to do its best work for you. Think about those small, inexpensive $9.99 monthly subscriptions. How many subscriptions have you forgotten about? Are you really using them? How many other tools are doing the same job?
Financially responsible leaders want to do more with less. We’re so deliberate in hiring the right people for our teams. We need to adopt that same thoughtfulness to acquiring technology tools.
The way to do that is to first know what technology assets your company already owns. This includes tools like software, hardware, mobile devices, virtual machines, containers, and users.
How Does an Automated Technology Asset Discovery Work?
Without getting into the weeds here, what exactly is a technology discovery? How does it work?
The short answer is the right technology asset discovery is an automated tool that continually listens, identifies, and logs all assets on your network. It is not a haphazard manual spreadsheet that someone in IT updates when they have time.
An automated discovery is especially valuable because it
also tells you what you don’t know exists on your network. Because the tool is always listening for network activity, it quickly catches unexpected users or devices joining your network. These can often be rogue connections with the potential to spread malware or launch a cyber attack.
Just 10 of the Many IT Asset Discovery Benefits
You make better decisions because you have accurate, up-to-date information to guide you.
Do more with less
Put your technology investments to work
Replace reactive with proactive IT support
Reduce operational expenses of manual asset inventories
Ensure an up-to-date centralized view of all your technology assets
Reduce cybersecurity risks
Ensure license compliance
Pay only for what you really need
Reduce shadow IT risks
Build a company-wide collaborative, business-first culture
IT Asset Management is One More Tool in Your Technology Toolbox
This valuable technology tool doesn’t replace your existing remote support, proactive monitoring, and
advanced security tools. These essential services rely on agents (little pieces of software) running on known devices. By adding IT asset management as the new layer of network discovery, you reduce the risk of unknown devices gaining access to your company’s data.
When You’re Ready to Do More With Less
We’ve only begun to talk about the importance of this technology discovery and inventory. We’ve done a tremendous amount of reading, research, tool evaluation, and data-diving. Our conclusion – this is a service that is now part of our own day-to-day operations. That’s how much we believe in its value.
We’ve created this introductory
guide for you.
Grab your free copy. After you’ve explored the possibilities, you’ll no doubt have questions. We love questions. Simply call or email. Think of this as the first step in creating your company’s opportunity roadmap.
Linda Rolf is a lifelong curious learner who believes a knowledge-first approach builds valuable client relationships. She is fueled by discovering the unexpected connections among technology, data, information, people and process. For more than four decades, Linda and Quest Technology Group have been their clients' trusted advisor and strategic partner. 
