I think the biggest issue most offices face today is the ability to keep up with the technology that gets created daily. It’s not so much the ability to keep up with the ever changing tech world, but the ability to financially make a decision to go with a certain technology. How do you make that decision to go with one over the other? Which one is the right one for our company? How will this help us become more efficient in the workplace? These are all great questions to ask yourself before diving into new technology.
Thankfully, there are a lot of great resources you can reach out to for a better idea of what others might think. Amazon and Newegg, or even the CDW’s of the world, and even those that deal with software like Capterra and Cnet. There are so many out there that rank and rate products on the internet to look at as well. I always like to see what others have said, or maybe you know of someone that has had the chance of trying out a certain product and you can get their personal review of it. Word of mouth is always the biggest, and in my opinion, the best way to get a recommendation or even the chance to see a certain product at work.
I try and do a lot of research on a product before we bring it into production for the rest of the company. Luckily, most companies provide free trials that allow you the chance to test a new product before having to commit fully to it. This gives you the chance to play around with it before releasing it to the masses. The last thing you want to do is start pushing out new technology that you haven’t fully vetted yet.
In my case, before I try something out, I do what most people do and look for reviews on a product. How well did it work? Did it do everything that it says it will do, and does it do it well? Were there suggestions about another product that someone thought worked out better for their environment?
There are usually so many variations of the same thing it can make it hard to figure out what you might need. Going to your 3rd party vendors/resellers to see what they recommend compared to what you’ve researched can sometimes help as well, but you do have to be careful as they may have relationships with other vendors and they might not be pushing the items that might work best for you, but will sell whats best for them. Knowing that you have to take the time and weigh your options not just financially, but also what is going to work best for your company’s environment can be key. Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t always your best option and the same can be said for the most expensive. Take your time and make sure that your next technology purchase matches your company’s needs. You may be surprised at what you find!
By Brian Easley | People Science Director of IT