Non-profits are vital to thriving communities. Big cities, small towns, and neighbourhoods depend upon non-profits to provide much-needed services to residents. And, like their for-profit counterparts, non-profit organizations face big challenges when it comes to how they operate and how successful they are.
The Council of Non-profits lists implementing strategy as one of the top five issues non-profits deal with today. Like all businesses, non-profits that have a well thought out strategy are more likely to accomplish their goals than organizations without a strategic plan. These strategies must consider the organization’s mission fulfilment and their ability to meet the needs of the community. It also needs to include operational steps that need to be taken to be more efficient and effective.
In a diverse city like Johannesburg with the demand for services increasing faster than can be accommodated, non-profits must rely on technology to further their missions and attain goals. Johannesburg is home to some of Africa’s most talented tech companies. This gives Johannesburg-area non-profits a real advantage, if they have the right managed IT services provider (MSP) working with them.
A partner who does more than fix your computers and install new networks is someone that looks with you towards the future at how technology can help you reach your goals, expand your capacity to serve more community members or recover from funding losses.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself to find out if your IT provider is a valuable, strategic partner that is an ally in moving your organization towards furthering your mission:
- Do you have a technology strategy and budget that are aligned with your organizational goals? This is how you’re going to get from where you are now to meeting your objectives in the future.
- Do you have an information life cycle policy? This policy governs how you use the data you’ve created, who has access to your data, how your data is stored, how you retrieve data and how long you retain data.
- Do you have a technology roadmap that outlines your current and future technology needs and catalogs your digital assets?
- If attacked by ransomware, would you have to pay? If your data is adequately backed up, regularly verified and test restored by your IT provider, the answer is no.
- How long would it take to get up and running again if your systems and/or data were destroyed or breached? The answer should be minimal; but if you’re not with the right provider, there could be protracted downtime.
If solid technology is necessary to accomplish your mission, then your IT provider needs to be strategic, proactive and protective of your digital assets. They need to be a partner in your mission, caring for your technology so you can care for your client base.
At Multi IT & Telephony Solutions, we have vast experience working with high-growth non-profit agencies. With a heavy emphasis on developing and aligning strategy, we apply best practices from non-profit and for-profit businesses to help agencies grow and expand their ability to provide services.
Multi IT & Telephony Solutions has a 100% retention rate among non-profit clients. Organizations receive our premium, fully managed IT services at a significantly discounted rate. If your non-profit isn’t getting trusted, strategic direction from its MSP, contact Multi IT & Telephony Solutions Online or call us in Johannesburg on 011 435 0450 or in Cape Town on 021 879 1950