Technologies Supporting the Foundation Stage
During the initial stages of development, startups can benefit greatly from the assistance of an IT specialist. CDW’s customer portal, Rubi, is an automation tool that allows newly minted startups to plan, procure and manage their technology needs in one place. In the portal, users receive action items, product availability alerts, purchase requests and quote reminders.
Users can also request expert support, create hardware and software bundles, and view shipping times in order to plan zero-touch deployments.
Mobility tools such as Apple Business Manager and Microsoft Autopilot can remotely configure and deploy new devices. Startups can also use them to have software installed and get new hires onboarded remotely. CDW’s configuration services can auto-enroll devices into one of these tools and supply a dedicated account manager and vendor-neutral technical experts to help startups through the process.
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Strategic Spending Helps Cover Expenses in the Cash Flow Stage
Once a startup begins generating revenue, it enters the cash flow stage, where it must ensure that revenue covers its expenses — including IT expenses as assets reach end of life.
CDW can use startups’ funding data to help them obtain Net-30 credit approval, which provides a working line of credit that gives the client 30 days to pay for IT products and services after receiving an invoice. The move boosts startups’ purchasing power while allowing them to preserve capital for critical operations.
Additionally, CDW allows startups to lease computers on a flexible payment plan and assigns them account managers who serve as personal shoppers, securing the best IT deals.
This strategic spending and increased liquidity helps startups reach the expansion stage.
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Enter the Expansion Stage With the Cloud
Once a strong customer base and significant revenue is achieved, a startup is ready to expand into new markets often with new products and services. Innovation is required to stay ahead of competitors, and new IT infrastructure is needed to scale accordingly.
This is where the cloud comes in. Startups should guarantee their ability to manage a given workload across various cloud providers while avoiding vendor lock-in. Vendor-agnostic discussions naturally lead to conversations about cost optimization and business agility.
Automating a startup’s new digital infrastructure affordably through agile DevSecOps saves analysts from being overwhelmed by application monitoring and activity logging, and frees up more time for them to focus on expansion strategies.
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CDW’s Inscape is a cloud and Software as a Service management platform that allows startups to track their Microsoft activity and licensing, as well as their cloud environments, in order to ensure proper spending. Licenses can be quickly reassigned or cancelled as employees’ roles change.
Users can also leverage Inscape machine learning to generate multicloud environment cost anomaly alerts and predictions. One CDW customer reported saving about $24,000 on Microsoft 365 management and $48,000 in overall annual savings by employing automating reporting and expediting the training of new hires.
Prioritize Compliance Throughout the Startup Life Cycle
Done right, the expansion stage of startup development gives way to the maturity stage, where the business is now established in the industry and focused on avoiding complacency while maintaining competitiveness and customer loyalty.
Yet one other consideration remains, and it should really be top of mind throughout the entire startup development process: security and compliance.
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Startups should work to protect IT assets and comply with regulations every step of the way in order to avoid disruption and attract investment. CDW assists clients by identifying rightsized security solutions for each stage of development and by providing compliance consultants.
CDW also offers several security assessments, penetration tests and audit services, as well as discounts on antivirus, multifactor authentication, virtual private network and email solutions.
“A security breach can wreck a company’s reputation and lead to a loss of trust among its customers, partners and investors — to say nothing of potential lawsuits and fines that may result,” wrote Don Lupejkis, solution architect with the InfoSec Security team at CDW, on BizTech early last year. “It very well could put a startup out of business.”
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