In today’s fast-paced world, we often overlook the intricacies behind how top-performing companies operate. We take streamlined processes for granted and rarely question how they work. Yet, behind that efficiency lies a powerful tool: Standardization.
Why Standardization Matters
Standardization makes our lives easier—so seamlessly, in fact, that we often don’t even notice it. Take traffic lights, for example. Whether you’re driving in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, or France, you’ll recognize the same colors and meanings. That’s standardization in action. It allows us to understand systems quickly, without needing to relearn them in every new context.
This same concept applies to business operations. When you standardize processes across departments, it ensures everyone is aligned, understands the data, and can operate effectively—regardless of where they are or what team they belong to.
The IT Perspective: A Common Trap
In IT, we often forget to standardize and then complain about how much work we have. And yes—we usually have a lot of work. But here’s the truth: up to 80% of that workload could be reduced simply by standardizing systems and processes.
Imagine managing a network of:
- 5,000 computers
- 200 servers
- 100 network switches
Now imagine those computers are split: 25% Lenovo, 35% Dell, 35% HP, and 5% Asus. Your servers? A mix of HP, Dell, and IBM. Different models, firmware, configurations—it’s chaos.
Every vendor introduces different patching tools, driver updates, and firmware vulnerabilities. How do you respond to a critical HP firmware alert when you also need to chase patches from Dell, Asus, and IBM?
Without standardization, it’s nearly impossible to respond quickly. It becomes a cybersecurity risk—and a budgetary nightmare.
Time, Tools, and Team Efficiency
Let’s say you’re lucky and you use cloud tools like Atera or ESET. Great—but even those tools can’t magically standardize your environment. To react fast, you need:
- A centralized helpdesk
- Uniform hardware
- Consistent OS and software versions
If 80% of your infrastructure is standardized, you can deploy firmware updates in a matter of minutes—not days. You won’t need to segregate by brand, model, or OS version every time a vendor posts a patch.
Standardization simplifies:
- Troubleshooting
- Ticket resolution
- Training
- Device upgrades
- Team onboarding
It also reduces the number of specialists required. Instead of hiring experts for each platform (Windows, Linux, VMware, Proxmox, etc.), you can focus on a single stack and scale effectively.
Even printers should be standardized—and ideally leased, not purchased.
The Real-World Impact: A Branch Rollout Example
Here’s a real-life example:
A company used to spend 25 days setting up the IT infrastructure for each new branch, including:
- Wiring, plugs, and plates
- Network switches and firewalls
- Computers, printers, and cameras
- Configuration, labeling, and testing
- Travel, hotel stays, meals, gas, and other costs
That’s a huge investment of time and money.
The Solution? Standardization.
I created a Branch Kit—a pallet with all pre-configured devices ready to ship. I outsourced local installations to a third-party vendor using a detailed layout with labeled network ports.
The result?
- 70% cost savings per branch setup
- Zero disruption to internal IT support
- Happier employees and customers
- No missed support calls
- Reduced burnout for the IT team
And that wasn’t all.
We also standardized printer models based on actual branch needs. By replacing oversized printers with smaller, appropriate devices, we saved over \$80,000 USD per year in toner and leasing costs.
Support tickets dropped from 25 per branch per month to just 3 to 5. That meant fewer tickets, less stress, and no need for additional IT headcount.
The Bottom Line
Standardization creates a virtuous cycle:
- Faster response times
- Lower costs
- Better scalability
- Easier training
- Stronger cybersecurity
The more you standardize, the more efficient and cost-effective your company becomes.
~ Bitvorous
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