Technology and the Small Business

Technology is all around us. It sits on our desks in the form of our computer, it rests in our purses and pockets in the form of smartphones; heck, I’m pretty sure my wristwatch has more computing power than we sent men to the moon with. You can’t even turn your car on without the aid of a sophisticated computer system.

The main issue with technology? It’s always evolving. Someone is always coming up with a better, newer, faster, more energy-efficient way of doing something. And of course, all the great technology we have 6 or 7 years ago? It’s wearing out, requiring it be replaced with that something faster-better-cheaper-more awesomer.

That’s kind of where we’re at here at M3. After much deliberating and deciding, we’re implementing some major technology updates here at 614 Seymour. What I’d like to do is share with you my experiences thus far, as well as offer some suggestions as you look to make similar improvements in your business.

A long-standing approach we’ve taken here at M3 is to ensure we’re on the cutting edge of technological innovations — within reason, of course. We don’t buy the latest and greatest workstations every time they are released (although, as an admitted technophile, I have to admit my lust-o-meter went up a few notches when I laid eyes on the new 27” iMac). We do ensure that we have the best equipment and software to meet our client’s needs.

That approach has led us to decide on a total replacement of our phone system and to replace our aging file server along with make some other upgrades to our network. It gets all the more interesting as we recently purchased the building next door, 610 Seymour. We will actually link the two buildings together so data and voice communications will flow freely between staff in both locations. Pretty heavy stuff, especially for a non-IT professional to undertake.

So how do you start something like this? Simply put, you get LOTS of help. Well, let’s back up a little. First, you have to assess what you think your needs are. Notice I said “think” in there. Why? Because trust me, what you think you need, and what you actually need, may be totally different.

In our case, we knew we needed to replace our phone system, and at some point a server upgrade was likely needed. Based on that we started making calls to as many phone system providers as we could, had many, many meetings talking to them about our needs and got quotes based on their recommendations.

What we got was surprising, both in pricing as well as implementation. For example, one provider came back with three different options, all significantly different in how the upgrade would be implemented. While one was a traditional phone system that runs on our existing phone lines, the others were a Voice Over IP (VoIP) and hybrid system – linking VoIP and a traditional implementation. Without having that discussion and working with someone who thought a little bit different about our situation and needs, we probably would have never even considered VoIP as an option for our system. Voice data traveling through your network? Crazy-talk!

The same thing goes for our server upgrade. I talked to three or four different providers and because of those differing viewpoints, I found out about things that could be implemented that wouldn’t just drop a new server into our network, but would also improve our network speed, performance and reliability. And of course, you also see what you get for the money, which is a critical aspect of such decisions.

So how do you decide on what do once you have these mountains of quotes sitting on your desk? First, I recommend grabbing a cup of coffee maybe a cookie (hey, it works for me!) and think about your level of comfort with the options provided.

Comfort? Isn’t this all about technology and hardware and software and dollars and cents? Yes, it is, and no, it isn’t. In my real job as Logo Overlord, what I tell my clients about a logo or brochure or whatever else I’m creating for them is that they shouldn’t just like the design, they should LOVE it. They should feel invested in that design, feel that it best represents their needs. The same goes for any sort of major (heck, even minor) tech upgrades. If you are not going to be comfortable with the end results, you should seriously reconsider that choice, regardless of how it may look on paper.

Of course you also have to think about whether or not that choice will adequately meet your company’s needs. Do you need two Terabytes or storage or six? Do you have the time, energy, expertise to administer your server, network, phone system or whatever? Or do you need to retain someone for those services?

Are you a Mac or a PC? Are you barely able to turn your computer on without assistance, or do you build high-end gaming machines in your spare time? Be realistic about these points as well. No one will judge you either way; it’s all about meeting your needs so you can get back to doing whatever it is you do best.

So what did we decide on here at M3? Aha! Well, you’re just going to have to wait and see. Once we get everything installed, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on those choices, the ups and downs of migrating to a new system and how it all worked out.

If you are looking at doing something new and exciting with your network or phone system and have questions, I’d love to hear from you. Likewise, if you’ve recently gone through a major tech upgrade and want to share your experiences, drop me a line. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for me. It’s going to be a fun ride!