Owners of small firms embracing the power of business applications recognize the potential of these solutions and what they can do to drive productivity and efficiency within their enterprise. But despite the benefits these business apps can bring to firms, small business owners must be sure they are able to manage all of their apps and keep their IT infrastructure under control.
According to a recent study produced for Quest Software, an “application bloat” – when firms use too many applications, which can lead to large amounts of wasted money – is becoming a more prevalent problem among businesses of all sizes.
What can happen from application bloat?The last thing small business owners want to deal with is slowed, crashed or responsive apps that can cause their firm to leak money that they worked so hard to accumulate. However, 52 percent of survey respondents said that is just the case; in fact, 31 percent said they have lost tens of thousands of dollars from an application bloat.
“These findings point to the need for IT to get a grip on application bloat and think twice about whether they need to add new apps. If not, they might cost the business more than they help it,” said John Newsom, vice president and general manager of application performance monitoring at Quest Software.
Application bloat often causes small business owners to reconsider their use of apps to get things done within their operations. In the event that an app fails and causes an enterprise to lose a lot of money, it may be wise to have a small business insurance policy to protect against any litigation that can stem from the loss of important files and documents.
Apps important to a firm’s operations
While applications can cause several problems within a firm’s IT infrastructure, they are critical to how a business get things done. Managing these apps should be a high priority within an enterprise. The survey shows 58 percent of respondents say the performance of applications has a major impact on the productivity of their business.
“With all apps firmly in check, the loss of revenue caused by decreased productivity, lost transactions and sales, and missed opportunities will be significantly reduced,” said Newsom.
