Businesses have often been at the forefront of implementing the latest technological advances. In the last century most innovations have come via the Space Industry but, while undoubtedly useful for banging rocks about on not-so-distant planets, they have normally found more practical uses back down on earth and it has been businesses that have rapidly taken up new technologies, closely followed by consumers. However, when it comes to new technology, small to medium businesses don’t always join the dots to make implementation as effective as possible. The brightest shiniest new gadget is only one aspect of implementing new technology; making sure it is effective requires a little more effort.
Training
This should go without saying, but it doesn’t seem to. New technology can make your business work smarter, react more quickly, be more productive, delight your customers and facilitate better communication. However, as we all know, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and not all of your employees are necessarily techie nerds. Sadly, only the techie nerd department is likely to be of this particular ilk, while other members of your team/s may stare at you in blind terror as you threaten to Skype them. Training matters and should not be overlooked when implementing new tech solutions; the key to getting the message across is to tailor the training to focus on real benefits for individuals and teams.
What return?
Unlikely as it may seem, not all technology delivers quite the return on investment you expected. Measuring the real return on investment should be a key part of the process. Defining goals clearly before you introduce new technology to your business is a crucial part of this process and, in addition, checking a return is being made at different stages post-implementation is crucial. If you’re moving from software installed on your PC’s or servers to Software as a Service (SAAS, or cloud computing solutions), are you clear on the actual benefits in terms of costs and time that you expect to achieve? The problem with new technology is that it is new, which can mean untried and untested in real world situations. This means that measuring ROI for new technology should be a priority concern for all firms.
Hesitation and Innovation
Naturally it would be foolish to stop innovating in business, but it is also foolish to innovate for the sake of innovation. The latest techie kit may be costly and it may not be needed. If your tech works for you do you need to upgrade to the latest model? Evaluate carefully what is working, what isn’t and what needs replacing and/or when. While it’s important to evaluate new technology and examine what benefits it can bring it your business, hesitating before investing has always been a key to success in business.
While it’s tempting to invest heavily in new technology, ensuring that investment is backed up by adequate training, evaluation and further appropriate innovation is also important. Perficio provide a range of tech solutions and support to firms of different sizes.