Given the strategic importance of IT in business operations, you’d think that organizations would focus their IT budgets on initiatives to increase productivity, enhance customer service or gain competitive advantages. However, the latest research from SMB Group finds that support is the No. 1 reason why midsize organizations hire IT staff. Despite the difficulty finding skilled technical personnel, 55 percent of midsize organizations dedicate their in-house IT staff to support roles.

Businesses that sell to consumers are rightfully concerned about delivering a high-quality customer experience (CX). In a recent survey of 2,000 consumers conducted by 3Gem Research and Insights, almost 90 percent of respondents said they would remain loyal to a company following a positive customer experience, while almost 75 percent said they would take their business elsewhere after a single negative experience.

Problems or issues with projects often result when the customer and the project manager are not on the same page regarding how the project will work. The longer this misunderstanding exists, the higher the risk of project failure. A good project manager should address these issues very early in the life of the project, putting the project manager and the customer on the same page from the beginning.

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology has revolutionized connectivity for branch offices. In the past, interconnecting remote locations meant provisioning telco circuits and implementing and managing networking gear and security appliances. Organizations had to weigh whether it was worth all that cost and complexity to provide secure connectivity for a relatively small number of employees.