WBJ Talking Tech:
Is Your Business "Tech Savvy"?
May, 2007
By
As president of GWATA (the Greater Wenatchee Area Technology Alliance), I recently had the honor of presiding over our annual Innovation and Awards Luncheon. During the luncheon, we recognized Erlandsen as our “Tech Savvy Business of the Year”. Erlandsen was clearly very deserving given their leading edge surveying and GIS products and their utilization of the fiber network to virtually connect their offices located in Brewster, Chelan, East Wenatchee, and Ephrata.
However, during the awards nomination process it occurred to me that just about any business can be “tech savvy”. Being tech savvy is much more a function of how your business leverages technology than any specific industry it operates within. Why is this important? It has always been true that critical success factors for any business including managing finances, operating efficiently, and effectively marketing to a broad spectrum of potential customers. Nowadays, however, it almost goes without saying that technology plays a key role in each of those success factors. Here are some things you can do to make sure your business is tech savvy:
Have a technology plan – By putting together a plan, you can evaluate your technology needs holistically. Far too many small businesses use the “ala carte” approach. They replace one PC when it fails or starts to run slowly with whatever is currently available at the local store. Printers are located at each desk, each requiring different replacement toner or ink cartridges. Firewalls and anti-virus software is independently installed on each PC (usually with whatever came with the PC) with varying subscription end dates. PCs might have different operating systems and versions of Office installed. This approach results in an inconsistent network and extra cost to your business. Instead, put together a plan that moves your office to common equipment, and if warranted, a network and server. Gradually plan to replace your PCs on a scheduled basis with a standard configuration from the same vendor. Purchase software licenses that go with the business instead of the PC so everything is consistent and can be re-used even when you replace or upgrade PCs. Not only with this allow you to operate more efficiently, but you’ll also be able to better manage your technology costs.
Spend wisely – At GWATA’s luncheon, it was interesting to hear Yahoo! Vice-President Kevin Timmons tells us that one of the Yahoo! founders is known as the “Cheap Architect”. Kevin went on to explain that Yahoo! is constantly looking for ways to trim costs, reuse products wherever they can, make the most of every technology purchase, and not spend unnecessarily.
Putting together a technology plan is the first step to spending wisely. This will help you focus your technology budget on products that make sense for your business. As we can learn from Yahoo!, buying the “latest and greatest” probably should not be part of your plan!
Use what you already have – A technology plan is a great start, but it doesn’t mean you have to replace what you already have. Instead, look to see if certain components of your network are underutilized.
For instance, does one person in your office have a high-speed printer attached directly to their PC that nobody else can use it or has to copy their files to that PC in order to print? If so, even if you do not have a server it is likely that there is a simple solution to make the printer available to every PC on your network.
As another example, do you replace PCs whenever they inevitably start to “slow down”? You can often extract another 1-2 years of life out of your PCs by simply adding memory, reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system and software.
Manage your finances electronically – Hopefully you’ve already nailed this one. If you are not using software like QuickBooks or accounting software designed for your industry you are probably missing the single greatest opportunity to save yourself time and frustration while also providing you with better information about your business. Small business accounting software has come a long ways and is easier than ever to setup and use.
Create or expand your internet presence – Another no-brainer. Regardless of your type of business, nowadays you must have at least a website and unique domain name (do not use a generic msn.com, yahoo.com, or other free email as your business address). Once you have established an internet presence, think about ways to leverage it to expand your market or better serve your customers. If you sell your products on-line, have you considered search engine optimization services to help drive traffic to your site? What about your existing customers? Would they benefit from a periodic newsletter or a website where they could check their account balance or place a repeat order?
Stay informed – It is hard to know what technology might be of use in your business if you are not taking steps to stay abreast of recent developments. One of my favorite sources is PC Magazine. The name of this bi-weekly publication is somewhat misleading. PC Magazine now covers home electronics, cell phones, small business tools, and even cars! Other great places to find information are leading web sites such as cnet.com, zdnet.com, and infoworld.com. Fortunately, all of these sites offer newsletters or RSS feeds so you can read the information whenever is convenient for you without even going to their website.
There’s also no substitute for networking and learning first-hand from experts. Consider going to technology classes and attending GWATA events for more in-depth information on a variety of topics.
Seek expert help – Most of us wouldn’t repair our own car or even change the oil. Similarly, even if you consider yourself tech savvy, your business might not be. It helps to periodically review your technology plan with an experienced consultant who has worked with other similar businesses and can give you advice from a different perspective.
Clearly, your business does not have to be in the technology industry or even on the leading edge to be tech savvy. I’d encourage you to start looking around your office and finding ways to utilize your technology more effectively. Who knows, maybe it’ll be your business up on the stage next year accepting the “Tech Savvy Business of the Year” award!