Our tech review guide can help you to assess if the solutions you’re using still serve your business objectives, with tips to help unlock new efficiencies and value in the new year.
EOFY is typically a natural moment when many business leaders pause and take stock of how things are going. Things can change quickly, especially when it comes to technology. So, it’s worth thinking beyond finances at this time of year.
This guide is designed to help you assess if the tech you have in place to support your business is still fit for the job. A good tech review will help you identify potential opportunities to reduce friction, make things easier and boost productivity in the year to come.
Many businesses accumulate an eco-system of tech solutions over time. There’s no right or wrong choice, but tools and business systems you chose in the past, may not be right for your future.
You might use a combination of any of the solutions listed below, or others:
Start by looking at where you feel you’re not getting the most from your current tech setup. Where are there regular and potentially costly, inconveniences?
Think about where day-to-day tasks are impacted so you can assess where things are falling short. EOFY can often be a great time for zeroing in on inefficiencies across your business systems.
It can also be helpful to consider how your business has changed as this could be at the root of why a solution is no longer working well for you.
Consider these questions:
If you don’t know where to begin, we can help. You can request a callback from a business expert at your local Telstra Business Centre.
The questions above can help you uncover if you may have outgrown your tech.
If a tech review is overdue, it may show up in practical terms as:
These issues can surface at EOFY especially, as you could be under admin pressure with deadlines. The heightened focus on any value, security or productivity gaps means it’s a great time to review, reflect and plan what you should be prioritising next.
Once you’ve got a sense on where your tech may be letting your down, it might be time to think about your future needs.
To start your EOFY tech review, think about the questions below. These questions are especially useful to ask at EOFY, when admin pressure and security risks may reveal where systems are under strain:
As your business changes you can revisit these questions to help assess if the business technology you’re using needs to evolve.
Technology is often a key investment priority for most small and medium businesses, but many are spending more time managing tech in their business than they’d like.
You don’t need to conduct a full technical audit at this stage. The aim is to reflect on what your business really needs before you act.
Prioritising your ‘jobs to be done’ or ‘problems to solve’ before you jump into exploring solutions can help you avoid getting distracted,
It can be useful to keep things as simple as possible at this stage.
Two areas to focus on are:
A key area to focus on is where you can consolidate solutions.
Consider where you have multiple tools doing similar things and if you have capability gaps or overlaps.
Using a consolidated solution that combines capabilities can help you:
Choosing the right tech is also about putting people first. A key question to ask is: how can we make things easier for people?
Whether it’s a salesperson on the floor, back-of-house crew or a customer making a purchase, think how you can set up your tech to help them get the job done as smoothly as possible.
Once you’re clear on your priorities, you can start to explore where you might make changes. If you’re not sure where to start with exploring how to help improve your tech set up, request a callback from a business expert at your local Telstra Business Centre.
There’s no need to act on everything at once. Our business experts can help tailor flexible solutions for your business, consider trade-offs and plan for the year ahead. If you are eligible, you may even be able to take advantage of EOFY deals which can offer great value.
With the new financial year in your sights, you might be focused on growth, stabilising your business, or simplifying things. Whatever your goals are, to confidently prepare for the future it’s vital to know how to prioritise your tech decisions.
Think strategically about changes you could make to your tech setup as part of your annual EOFY planning.
Yes, it can be. EOFY is typically a natural checkpoint when many businesses reflect on how they operate. Reviewing business technology at the same time can help you assess whether your tools and systems are still fit for purpose as your business changes.
Common signs can include routine use of workarounds, underused features, duplicated systems or technology that no longer reflects how your team works.
An EOFY review can help you surface these issues. If you require more support, you can request a callback from a business expert at your local Telstra Business Centre.
No. A technology review is about gaining clarity, not replacing everything. Many businesses focus on simplifying, consolidating or improving how existing systems are used.
No. This article does not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation or needs, and provides general business planning guidance only. For advice specific to your financial or tax situation, you should consult a qualified professional.
Request a callback from your local Telstra Business Technology Centre.
