By: Taylor Murphy

“If you have a security hole, eventually someone will find their way in,” said Jeff Borello, CEO and Co-Founder of Andromeda Technology Solutions. On the MetaPod podcast with host Ron Crabtree, Jeff offered blunt insights into why many manufacturers are behind on IT—and what to do about it before it’s too late.

IT Should Have a Seat at the Table

Jeff Borello has been in tech for over 30 years. He began coding as a software engineer and is now leading a 36-person team serving over 500 clients. In the conversation, he highlighted a recurring problem across manufacturing: IT is treated like a support function, not a strategic one.

“A really simple way I think to think about it is, does IT have a seat at the table?” he said.

Manufacturers plan obsessively for operations, finance, and supply chain—but IT often remains reactive. Jeff noted that internal IT teams are overworked, typically running at “110%”—and that’s being generous. He urged business leaders to stop expecting internal staff to “know it all and do it all.”

Instead, he recommended bringing in outside help to support long-term planning and relieve the pressure. “We are never there to replace the internal IT team. We’re there to make them look good,” he said.

The Hidden Cost of Technical Debt

Jeff introduced a key concept for manufacturers: technology debt. This isn’t just about outdated devices—it’s about the financial and operational strain caused by putting off IT investments.

“If every time your bookkeeper is taking 15 minutes to do something that should take five because she’s running on a 7-year-old computer, there’s some debt that’s accumulated there,” he explained.

He shared a story about a prospect who delayed switching IT providers—despite clear signs the current team wasn’t performing. “Within the week of signing, they had a cyber incident. The entire plant got ransomware,” Jeff said. “They were down for several weeks where they were not producing anything.”

In that case, the delay cost the company weeks of lost productivity—and could have cost them their business.

Cybersecurity as a Business Essential

Security, Jeff stressed, is non-negotiable. “Any conversation you’re going to have around anything technology-wise, data-wise, whatever it is, has to start with security.”

He explained how most cyberattacks don’t just damage systems—they stop production, corrupt backups, and lead to expensive recovery efforts. And with the rise of remote access, cloud integration, and legacy data systems, the risk is even higher.

To help businesses get started, Jeff recommends an annual risk review and a cybersecurity assessment, like the free one at checkupblueprint.com. “You answer a set of questions and it comes back and immediately gives you the results,” he said.

But that’s just a starting point. “This has gotten to be a specialization all its own,” he added. “You can’t keep up with the day-to-day and be forward-looking with the same internal team.”

When “Okay” Vendors Become a Risk

Another warning from Jeff: don’t stick with mediocre IT vendors out of habit. “This is the space where good enough isn’t always good enough,” he said.

Manufacturers often tolerate poor response times or limited expertise, assuming that switching providers will cause disruption. Jeff countered that assumption. “We do 90% of the work,” he said. “People think it’s going to be a major lift, and yeah, there’s a little disruption within the first month or so. But we’ve gotten pretty good.”

In his view, the bigger risk is sticking with a vendor that leaves your systems exposed. “It’s costing you more than you think it is—and could be costing you a lot more if you have an incident,” he said.

A Simple Assessment to Get Started

For manufacturers unsure of where they stand, Jeff recommended starting with a simple, no-cost diagnostic. His team’s free tool at checkupblueprint.com can quickly benchmark your current IT posture and highlight next steps.

Even if nothing feels “broken,” Jeff said, IT should be part of the business roadmap.

“You need to have a three-year plan,” he advised. “Ideally with quarterly executables that every quarter we are going to fix something.”

That’s how you stay ahead—and avoid letting technical debt or cyber risk catch up with you.

Published by Jeremy S.