The Importance of Connectivity Infrastructure in Business
An advanced IT network communications infrastructure is a vital part of any modern business, allowing an organisation to effectively communicate both internally and externally. Having the right infrastructure in place for business connectivity should be seen as a non-negotiable for any company, due to the number of different environments and systems it supports.
Supporting Changing Business Infrastructures
Business demands and connectivity infrastructures are not the same today as they were a decade ago. Not only has the way that companies do business changed but so has the way they utilise connectivity to do it. Nowadays, connectivity and network infrastructure are a vital part of everything an oganisation does, making it a fundamental element required for a company to operate.
Powerful and reliable network connectivity keeps the world running and this is no different for any organisation. Whereas once a temporary loss of the connection for a system used to be nothing more than an inconvenience; any downtime in the modern day, is now a major issue that could lead to significant financial and commercial losses.
The need for fast and resilient fibre connectivity isn’t the only thing that’s changed. As organisations move several of their key systems on to IP technology platforms, they need connectivity that they can absolutely rely on. Take phone calls, for example. With many businesses now using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), the demand for a strong connectivity infrastructure continues to grow as any errors or downtime will lead to a business not being able to make calls – something which can cause a serious loss of revenue to a company like a call centre.
The rapid pace of converged technology within Smart building architecture can be increasingly seen with the deployment of intelligent lighting, access control, CCTV and AV solutions. Such technology is increasing the demand and usage of the core infrastructure from fibre backbone connectivity, right down to the edge network of structured cabling.
There is also the issue of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to accommodate within organisations. The move towards a workplace where employees bring in their own devices and connect to the company network creates additional requirements for a connectivity infrastructure, such as the ability to handle and adapt to a wide range of devices, including multiple operating systems and WiFi enabled mobile devices.
Meeting Customers’ Needs
With organisations shifting from the traditional 9-5 operating hours; customers now expect to have their needs met 24/7. Of course, it would be unrealistic to expect someone to be in the office at all times, but meeting this level of expectation requires a network infrastructure to support it. This becomes particularly important for SaaP (Service as a Product) businesses as their customers expect their systems to be accessible at all times.
But it’s not just SaaP businesses that rely on high speed connectivity to meet their customers’ needs. Something as simple as a credit card payment requires a network connection in order to be successful and in the retail and hospitality sector a company needs to ensure that its data cabling and IT network is capable of handling thousands of these requests on a daily basis.
To find out how Sudlows can help you improve your business connectivity, contact us today.