Proven strategies to get the intranet in your desired budget

An organization's intranet is a crucial resource. An intranet can facilitate better communication among employees, streamline internal processes, and boost teamwork. The majority of intranet software options provide a wide range of useful functions. The final cost to you will be determined by the specifications and size of your business.

With the help of today's intranet systems, teams may easily store and share data. 

Apps like Twitter, Facebook, Slack, and others can be integrated with some intranets.

In all its forms and capacities, the internet is an excellent long-term investment for any business. 

Factors that can influence the cost of intranet 

The cost of intranet can be affected by several factors, including the size and complexity of the intranet, the number of users, and the level of customization. Perhaps the most important factor in determining the cost of intranet is the amount of data that needs to be stored. 

For example, a small intranet with only a few hundred users may only require a few gigabytes of storage, while a large intranet with millions of users could require hundreds of gigabytes or even terabytes of storage. 

Other factors that can influence the cost of intranet include the use of bandwidth-intensive features such as video streaming, and the need for high-availability redundant systems. By understanding these factors, you can more accurately estimate the costs associated with your intranet project.

Fees associated with obtaining a license 

​ An intranet license fee is a charge imposed by the owner of an intranet site for allowing others to access and use the intranet. The intranet license fee may be a one-time charge or it may be a recurring charge. The amount of the intranet license fee depends on the size and scope of the intranet site and the number of users who will be accessing the intranet site. 

The intranet license fee may also be based on the type of use that will be made of the intranet site. For example, if the intranet site will be used for commercial purposes, the intranet license fee may be higher than if the intranet site will be used for personal use.

The yearly cost of the company's intranet services is factored into the licensing fee. It's important to think about licensing and how these apps will interact with the internal network before implementing any third-party software.

Size of a company ​

​ We will provide you with a rough estimate of intranet costs based on the number of employees in your company. Even though the pricing you'll see isn't complete, the range of options will assist you in finding an affordable intranet service. Micro and small-sized businesses should expect to pay between $9,000 and $20,000 per year for an internal network. Similarly, the annual cost of an intranet might range from $15,000 to $50,000 for a small to medium-sized business. The price tag will rise as the company expands.

​ Branding

Branding or personalization is another major component contributing to an intranet's overall price. If you wish to do everything "out of the box" and choose a simple solution without making any changes, there will be no extra expense. While this may work for some businesses, others may need to tailor their intranets to meet specific needs. The price tag for setting up and maintaining your company's intranet will vary widely depending on how intricately you plan it.  

Support

If something goes wrong with your intranet, the majority of service providers will offer some sort of support package to get things back up and running as soon as possible. The vendor's responsiveness to your requests for help is typically proportional to the price you pay for assistance. 

Keep in mind that assistance is increasingly vital the larger the company.  

1. Support – Your intranet support should be available to answer any questions you may have about the system. They should also be able to help you troubleshoot any issues you may be having.
2. Training – Intranet support should provide training on how to use the system. They should also be able to provide support for users who are not familiar with the system.
3. Documentation – Intranet support should provide documentation on how to use the system. This documentation should be easy to follow and understand.
4. Updates – Intranet support should provide updates on new features and functionality of the system. They should also keep users informed of any changes that are made to the system.
5. Support forum – Intranet support should provide a support forum for users to ask questions and get help from other users. This forum should be monitored by staff so that they can answer any questions that users may have.

Strategies to get an intranet at your desired budget ​

Many businesses learn the hard way that poor change management is the real culprit behind their intranet project's inflated budget. Using these tried and true methods will keep you from straying off course and help keep your projects from getting out of control.  

Give ample time to the adoption process ​

​ Pay special attention to the new tool's training, support, and marketing with the funds you have available. Here, the good news is that even a modest investment will yield significant returns. Companies can save a lot of money by employing train-the-trainer strategies, utilizing brief training videos, and making use of already existing support resources.

Take your time to finalize the design ​

The design components and fully branded experience of a modern intranet can be quite appealing to end users. The additional design elements are typically simple to incorporate after the first launch and can create a sense of excitement and "improvement" that is low-cost moving forward. Getting the fonts, colors, and logos just right before launch is crucial, but you don't have to build every button from scratch.

Use the pre-designed intranet ​ 

Try to hold off on any additional construction or alterations until after the product has been released to the public. Organizations may achieve 90% of their goals with the "pre-designed" capabilities and functionality of a purpose-built solution like AgilityPortal, provided they follow a good discovery process. Because of this, we may save resources during the initial rollout and return to the remaining 10% during Phase II.

Even while offering a pre-designed intranet is a terrific way to cut costs, not all designs are created equal, and many vendors talk about this. To find the best solution, you should prioritize simplicity, functionality, and the development of a "templated" approach. This allows you to design once and distribute it across the organization with minimal fuss and IT expenditure. It's possible you'll also want to find an intranet that can help you respond quickly and effectively to any future emergencies that may arise. You may, for instance, go with AgilityPortal because it's flexible and simple to operate.

Work on the discovery process

The discovery phase provides an opportunity to define needs more precisely at minimal extra cost. Starting with the proper questions can help you save money and time. A well-documented set of requirements makes for a more streamlined creation procedure.

Having a precise set of criteria and project plan in hand today could mean the difference between achieving the evident business advantages of a functioning intranet and falling behind the competition for organizations that do not yet have the funds for a full intranet project.

Start a small pilot project

Try a tiny trial project first instead of trying to build the ideal intranet from the ground up. Don't try to please every possible customer or organization type with your design. Select a subset of users (often the most fervent or tech-savvy ones) and first push for their widespread adoption.

With this method, you may fine-tune your new intranet before introducing it to the rest of the company. The air of mystery or exclusivity could be cultivated as well.

Conclusion

If you want to make the most of your company's intranet, you need a plan that covers every step, from brainstorming through rollout. With a detailed strategy in place, you can better control costs and maximize your return on investment. Better employee engagement and alignment, less time lost searching for resources, more efficient onboarding, and so on are just some of the many benefits that can result from a well-designed intranet. However, the price of such benefits need not be prohibitive. Clever corporate executives can maximize their impact with the aforementioned procedures.