There was a time and I will admit to dating myself here that computers were huge. There was a time, way back in 1940, when Thomas J Watson, then the head of IBM said “I think there is a world market for about five computers.” Computers used to be housed in special places not unlike televisions – I can still remember that my grandparents had a television room in their house – in the not too distant past. The newest blur is the distinction between consumer and business technology. It is this blurring in technology that can have and does have an insidious underbelly.
Due to the fact that the smart phone has brought what was a business device into the consumer realm and the fact that the personal computer has brought the cost of much technology down from the stratosphere into the hands of more people. The ability to distinguish between what is business technology and what is home use has become extremely hard to discern. Marketing specialists have become very good at creating segments that contribute to this with the creation of home use, home business use, small office, branch office, and enterprise classes of devices which all look the same on the outside.
All business owners and technology face the same dilemma. What is the right choice? Where are the experts? Why do these two boxes that “almost” do the same thing have such different costs? Why should I care about contracts? What am I going to do with all the smart phones, home computers, software applications and more that everyone has to have?
The decision is simple – I wish. Actually the challenge is to make a decision. The choice is not one of technology but one that should reflect your company, your employer, your client and you. Ask yourself: How much of my business and what I do is dependent upon a command of technology? From this answer you can then determine how much you need to invest to be successful. Then once this is known stick to that plan and only spend that much time, effort, money and energy on this.