There is nothing like the first sign of spring after a long icy winter. While I am not a big fan of all the projects my wife has put on my honey-do list, every business leader should do some spring cleaning in the organization this time of year by reassessing company goals and progress towards those goals.
Many clients come to me in December and January with New Year's Resolutions for enhancing technology systems for the upcoming year. If you didn't make those resolutions or have been too busy to make much headway, it isn't too late to find better alternatives and reach technology goals such as saving payroll hours and enhancing productivity in 2015.
Keith HalesFortunately, recent advances have decreased complexity, cost and lead time for many technology improvements. No longer are all technology solutions so far out of your budget that company executives can't move forward.
There has also been a great reduction in the time it takes to implement technological solutions. For example, if you have outgrown QuickBooks, depending on your needs, you can have a new system implemented and live within two months start to finish, providing better financials, better security and scalability. This type of project formerly took conservatively four to six months to complete just a few short years ago.
While there is still plenty of time in 2015 to implement new efficient solutions at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner, picking the right technology solutions partner is critical in finding the right solution that fits your budget and requirements.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are searching for the right technology solutions partner.
* Choose a provider who is certified, qualified and experienced. Not all are. We spend a lot of time working with companies that have suffered major technology problems due to unqualified technicians and consultants who are not able to deliver what the client needs. Spring cleaning this type of situation can be painful for all involved and costly in dollars and lost productivity. It's best to avoid it in the first place.
* Find a technology partner who is both technical- and business-minded. Your provider should have expertise in a variety of service areas, not only the niche for which you are looking. Select a partner with a general understanding of how the systems support your business so they implement from a holistic perspective. This has the added benefit of allowing you to go back to them for other needs instead of starting over with a new provider every time your needs change or progress.
* Compare apples to apples. Value does not equal low cost. While price is important, and you should evaluate all your options, make sure you are comparing like quality and level of service. Get detailed quotes with specific deliverables, understanding the added value of having a partner vs. just a vendor. Technology solutions are too important to your organization to only look at hard cost. It can be the "soft costs" that accumulate like dust bunnies in your business processes.
* Technology should support your specific business requirements, goals and objectives. Be bold in questioning your technology resources (internal and external) about how projects and investments are aligning with your larger corporate goals and strategies. A technology partner should be able to answer these questions easily since they should have been asking these questions all along.
Just as I have a few more projects to complete my wife's "honey-do spring cleaning chores," it's important to do your due diligence to make sure you are making the right choice in your technology solutions provider. The time spent on the front end vetting your appropriate technology partner will pay off not only in terms of dollars, but in less frustration and wasted effort, giving you plenty of time to enjoy this spring weather.