The primary objective of an IT business review should be to obtain a clearer picture of the current state of your business's IT infrastructure in terms of how effectively it is supporting your business operations. In other words, it determines the strengths and weaknesses of your company's IT framework.

The current rate of technological developments makes it crucial to implement the right technology for your business. A professional IT company can undertake this IT review to ensure that your business is using the latest technology and that this technology is relevant to your business operations, thus ensuring that you are only paying for what you require.

Objectives of an IT Business Review
This in-depth analysis of your business's IT environment should include everything from hardware, software, IT infrastructure and assets to existing applications and IT personnel. This process will also allow you to update your IT strategy, which can provide your company with a competitive advantage.

The three main areas that are included in this review are:

• IT Performance
• IT Compliance
• IT Security & Risks

IT Performance Review
Existing IT systems and processes need to be evaluated under this review to measure how effectively they contribute towards the daily business operations and how prepared the company is for business continuity in the event of an incident or disaster. This review will provide objective insight that should identify operational inefficiencies and waste resulting in potential cost-savings.

IT Compliance Review
A regular review of a company's compliance with IT-specific policies, laws, regulations and industry standards is vital. This is even more relevant with the introduction of the Protection Of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Failure to comply opens up your business to significant fines and reputational damage. Westech, a top IT company in South Africa, advises firms on complex, cross-functional issues and on how to develop and implement strict data protection policies to ensure POPIA compliance.

IT Security and Risk Review
The rise in cyber-crime increases the risk of sensitive data held by a company being stolen or held for ransom. Therefore, operating system policies and asset management processes need to be regularly reviewed for inefficiencies and updated accordingly to reduce these risks.

Westech's IT audit consultants enhance this IT assessment process by providing companies with a customised IT review that recognises each business's unique internal control, compliance, security and performance requirements.

This professional IT service provider’s proven process reduces the overall risk and provides relevant, actionable advice to your IT department on how to improve their service levels to the business. Contact Westech for an obligation-free quote.

A Microsoft Partner is a company that has been certified by Microsoft to sell, operate and advise clients on Microsoft solutions. These solutions include products such as Microsoft Office, Azure, Teams, Outlook, etc.

In order to receive this certification, the Microsoft Partner and its certified employees must meet specific criteria specified by Microsoft, with the highest award being a Microsoft Gold Partner. These criteria also include testimonials from the Partner’s clients attesting to the expertise they experienced from the Partner.

Many companies find it very confusing to choose the right Microsoft tools for their business, as there is such a wide choice. In addition, the tools need to suit both the business and the employees using them. This is where a Microsoft certified Partner plays an important role, as follows:

Certified Technicians

As mentioned earlier, the IT Service Provider who has been certified as a Microsoft Partner is required to ensure that their technicians are all highly skilled, trained and certified in the range of Microsoft solutions. This enables the Microsoft Partner to provide its clients with expert advice, relevant solutions, installations and ongoing support from a reliable provider.

Access to the Latest Technology

Microsoft Partners always have access to the latest and most secure Microsoft solutions. This enables the Microsoft certified technicians to tailor the integration to the client’s requirements and the client to benefit from the applied knowledge and innovations.

Ongoing Support

Microsoft Certified Partners walk the entire journey with their clients, which includes implementation, training, maintenance and ongoing support.

Expert Support During Transitions

For any change project roll-out, a Microsoft Partner can be relied upon to ensure that the project runs smoothly and that the client is provided with the exact Microsoft solutions they need. This is particularly relevant for processes that need to be automated or large amounts of data that need to be leveraged.

Proven Experience and Knowledge

Microsoft Partners can be relied upon to guarantee customer satisfaction.

Westech, a Microsoft Certified Partner in South Africa, is one of the country’s leading Managed Service Providers with a track record of outstanding service levels and cutting edge technologies. Westech currently has a Silver Competency status with Microsoft.

Microsoft’s certification process is rigorous and requires regular auditing to ensure that their Partners are maintaining a high degree of skill, proficiency, and experience. Partners with Silver Competency offer the best solutions and undertake a rigorous approval process that is audited. Silver Competency Microsoft Certified Partners are among the top 5% of Microsoft Partners worldwide.

To ensure that your company is always getting the very best out of a technology partner in terms of expertise, knowledge and support, contact Westech.