Deciding what technology to invest in for your business can be pretty challenging. Not only do you need to please all your employees somehow, but you also need to think about cost and actually get the right tools that will work for what it is you are trying to achieve each day. So, how do you decide?
Trials and Tests
First off, if you’re looking for office management software, new accounting software, or design software, you will find that any worth having will give you a free trial so that you can see if it’s right for you. Choose the person who is going to use this platform the most and ask them to test it and to really learn it and then take their opinion on it. It is they who are going to have to use it after all.
Do this for whatever it is you’re thinking of getting; tech can be very expensive, and before you commit to something for the whole office, you need to know it’s going to be right.
Focus On Your Goals
There are thousands of marketing technology solutions, for example, so to avoid making a costly mistake, be sure you are crystal clear on your goals and the problems you are looking for the new technology to solve. Find out how each one works;
- How does Slack work?
- How does Quickbooks work?
Remember that all these technical tools are just tools, and if they answer a series of problems you don’t have, then they’re no use. Start with a business problem and choose the right thing to help you to solve it.
Keep It Simple
As mentioned above, features are only worth having if you plan to use them. Avoid getting distracted by too many bonus features you won’t use. Also, remember that if it’s not easy to use, it will not be used correctly. User experience really matters.
Don’t Trust The Sales Pitch
So many companies claim that their tools can do certain things in the way of measurement and performance, and they all have sales teams trying to get you to buy their product over anyone else’s. When you’re looking for a tool, do an independent evaluation of every company and compare them to each other and then pick the one that works for you.
Share Information
Talk with peers in your industry and exchange information on what’s working and what’s not.
Get involved in forums or in closed online groups on Facebook or other platforms and ask questions. You can also review previous comments on different software your peers are using.
Get Your Team Involved
If it’s going to help them do their jobs better, then ask for your employees’ opinion. Get them to research and do trials, if they really want this new software, they’ll do it.
Ask them what it is they really need, do they know anyone else at another company who uses something really good?
- What did they have in their old place, did that work well?
Ask them to get involved because not only will it make them feel good and valued, but it will also mean you have more chance of making the right decision.
Know Your Company Culture
Know the culture of your company and if the new tech will make a difference for the way your people work and want to work. If it will make life easier and let you get to the most critical work, the work they genuinely excel at, and it adds value, then that’s the technology you want to have in place. If it takes away interaction that is key to the culture of your office, then it’s not for your team.
While there are always going to be people who don’t like change and are set in their ways of working, it’s essential to take this into consideration if this is the majority of your workforce, if not then you should be able to persuade the dinosaurs in the office to get on board and show them how it will benefit them in the long run.
Make Sure You Really Need It
Be realistic about what it is that you need. It is essential to outline the problems you need to be solved and then pinpoint the best tools to meet your needs. It is easy to start looking for a general solution and then get enticed by all the other functionalities a new tool may have, but in reality, 80% of those features aren’t necessary. Focus on satisfying your core need over how sparkly a new tool may seem.
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