In those first introductory conversations, a potential ClearFuze client often requests a closer look at the big picture of their business. They want to know what’s working, what’s not working, and the changes they will face as they work to scale the company. The good news is that this “discovery” work takes place long before the client is onboarded under the ClearONE Solution umbrella. To allow these leaders to stay focused on their core business, ClearFuze executes a comprehensive set of IT discovery audits prior to signing a contract. It is our job as trained, experienced and qualified IT professionals not to change things that are working well—but to identify and work to supplement what is missing. Below are the 4 types of IT audits we conduct for potential clients from any industry; it is part of our highly proactive approach to circumventing IT problems that could significantly derail your growth timeline AND your budget.
IT Audit #1: Platforms and Tech Stack
A major segment of this initial discovery audit focuses on the platform and tech stack to identify gaps in current processes. ClearFuze sends in a project manager with a comprehensive security, ITSM and engineering background to check out business processes relating to the following:
- Servers
- Network Equipment
- Software
- Workstations (laptops, desktops, and other proprietary equipment)
- Vertical market applications (dependent on the industry)
Some of the aspects considered include whether the business is on a private cloud or dealing with in-house equipment in needs of upgrades, and if the applications being used are top-of-the-line and make sense for your needs.
IT Audit #2: Hardware
To that end the hardware itself also receives close scrutiny, including a full inventory. In addition to the workstations, these are the hardware features taken into account:
- Firewall
- Network Switches
- Patch Status
Any potential upgrades are noted, along with what’s working well and what needs to be replaced. The ClearFuze expert in question understands how to audit current and potential hardware capabilities.
IT Audit #3: Security
An IT cyber security audit may be the most consequential of the four types of IT information audits performed by ClearFuze. Do you know how to prepare for a cyber attack? We do. As expert cyber security consultants here in Los Angeles we focus on potential vulnerabilities so that they won’t keep you up at night.
Some of the most crucial cybersecurity checks and balances:
- Antivirus software
- Operating system updates
- Password management
- Software patching
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
An IT security audit checklist must also include your own employees. Many small companies do not train their employees to be aware of cybersecurity threats. This is a huge potential problem; that’s why ClearFuze offers our own platform loaded with training and tests for clients of any size and virtually any industry. Your staff likely has access to critically important data every single day. Don’t let them lose it.
And finally, ClearFuze experts examine cybersecurity factors related to compliance. What are the industry regulations for your company? Is there a certain maintenance level for data loss prevention and documented disaster recovery procedures? Which agencies or organizations must you comply with to gain high-level certification? We help you with all of it.
IT Audit #4: Business Processes
Finally, ClearFuze looks at business process workflows and identifies existing bottlenecks. If your workers currently use a spreadsheet or send their hours in an email on Friday afternoons, that’s slowing down your business. (These days, any low-tech process will reduce speed-to-delivery.) Poor project management and task management systems will do the same thing, as will basic billing programs. There are fantastic new options out there for healthcare, legal, architecture, entertainment, and other industries; let us introduce them to you.
Another major business process problem we see results in large part from the COVID-19 pandemic: poor employee engagement. People want consistent, productive contact with their teams. Programs such as Lattice, 15Five and Namely can lead remote workforces to better interpersonal relationships.
Last but not least are your sales pipelines. Which tools do your sales teams utilize today, and is your sales process automated? How many new leads are currently coming in? We’ll implement tools and platforms that make salespeople more effective, provide better accountability and create a baseline using the appropriate metrics.
Get Your IT Audit Started Today
Think of these IT audits as health checks for your firm. Once complete ClearFuze can create a timeline—and a game plan—that works with your budget and gets all of the right systems and processes into place. It’s incredibly easy. Get started by signing up for a free consultation here.