Do you struggle to make smart technology investments for your company? Ever feel like you end up buying the wrong thing… or getting the right item but paying too much for it?
These feelings are surprisingly common. In fact, we talk with many business owners and executives – most of whom otherwise make good decisions every day – who feel like they don’t get enough from their technology budgets.
In interviewing these successful entrepreneurs and leaders, we have noticed that their errors can generally be traced back to two distinct causes.
The Two Reasons It’s Hard to Buy Business Technology
When small and medium-sized companies make bad technology purchases, it is generally because one of two things has happened.
In the first case, it can be because the owner, manager, or executive in charge of the investment doesn’t know enough about technology to make an informed decision. They might have a sense of what they want to accomplish, or which kinds of computers, devices, and apps they use in their own lives but aren’t equipped to decide what to buy for offices or employees.
This sort of mistake is hard to avoid because fixing it would require an already busy person to learn much more about a subject that might seem foreign to them. In many cases, it wouldn’t be worth it to gain the missing knowledge even if they did have the time.
The second reason business owners and executives make bad business buying decisions is all about emotion. That is, they may go into a process with a certain budget, or listed set of requirements, but get distracted when they see shiny objects in glitzy marketing displays. It’s the same thing that happens when a person walks into a car dealership and leaves with more horsepower (and a bigger payment) than they were planning on.
It’s human nature to want the newest, shiniest, and fastest thing. However, that’s not always possible or advisable when purchasing tech for your company.
The Solution to Bad Tech Buying Impulses
Although we have laid out two separate problems for buying business technology, the reality is that they both have the same solution: involving someone with more knowledge, experience, and perspective.
Imagine what would happen if, the next time you need to buy a set of laptops or software licenses for your company, you had someone who knew a great deal about technology and understood your business. They could not only sift through the statistics and marketing hype but also help you keep the right focus on long-term profitability and growth.
The type of role we are describing is that of our virtual CIO (or chief information officer). That’s a person who would work with you on an as-needed basis to learn about your company and help you make smart and strategic decisions about technology. They would essentially step in and act like an executive or advisor while only charging you for the time you need it.
In recent years we have begun helping more and more of our clients through virtual CIO packages. They are affordable and convenient. More importantly, they help you make decisions and investments that are focused on cost savings, reliability, and other factors that matter in the real world.
Want to Learn More About Virtual CIO Services?
Want to know more about how our virtual CIOs can help you run your company more smoothly? Contact Fantastic IT today to set up a free consultation with personalized advice.