What We Mean When We Say “Enterprise-Level”

You’re a small business, and as such, you need technology in order to keep your operations moving forward. Many organizations will refer to their services and products as “enterprise-level,” as if there’s a certain draw to them that wouldn’t ordinarily be there. Here’s what this term means, not just for larger businesses, but for your SMB.

Enterprises are generally considered large corporations that manage hundreds or even thousands of employees. These organizations typically have very large budgets that allow them to be relatively flexible with their technology spending. Therefore, enterprises will usually seek out a top-shelf product that’s designed to be a comprehensive solution to problems that a business might face. These types of solutions are generally very knowledge-intensive.

As defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an enterprise can be all of the following:

• a project or undertaking that is especially difficult, complicated, or risky.
• readiness to engage in daring or difficult action.
• a unit of economic organization or activity; or a systematic purposeful activity.

These types of businesses aren’t using off-the-shelf consumer technology for their IT infrastructure. They need solutions that can handle the security and bandwidth of all of their users, but, more importantly, their IT needs must be centrally managed and supported. A store-bought router or a home-based backup solution might work if you run your business out of your home, but businesses of any size require solutions that fit their needs.

Thus, what’s called an “enterprise-level” solution is generally marketed as something that’s very knowledge-intensive and a significant investment. These solutions are implemented on a large-scale basis, and require the attention of specialized IT technicians who understand how to implement them properly. Add in the incredible amount of risk associated with investing in new technologies, and you have a complicated process that’s better left in the hands of a professional.

At the heart of this problem is the fact that many small and medium-sized businesses that have limited IT budgets can’t afford the time and up-front costs associated with these enterprise-level solutions. This can lead to cutting corners on other aspects of operations; for example, day-to-day maintenances that are crucial to the continued operation of technology, which when ignored can result in hardware failure, data loss, and more.

As your dedicated IT experts in the Chicagoland community, Preferred understands just how important the latest technology is to maintaining your operations. We know how to integrate comprehensive solutions without compromising certain aspects of your organization’s IT infrastructure. Our trusted technicians can help your organization improve operations without running into issues with your budget.

The best part of working with Preferred is that your SMB can take full advantage of enterprise-level technology without all of the high-end management and maintenance. You get all of the benefits of major technology solutions, without dumping tons of time into them, adding more value to your investment. Instead, you can use the time and revenue saved to better handle other aspects of your business.

Preferred has invested in providing local SMBs the enterprise-level services they need to ensure their organizations are operating at maximum efficiency. Give us a call at 708-781-7110 for more information about how we can improve the way you do business.