In the world of technology, there is always something new that’s just coming out. And even as the latest app or device is being released, there are already rumors of what could come to market years down the line. The result is a system where businesses are always in flux. Some are using the newest gear (by strategy or coincidence), while others might be several years behind them.
For obvious reasons, we try to make sure our clients don’t get too far behind the curve when it comes to new technology. However, what might surprise some readers is that we also try to stop them from getting too far ahead. That is, no matter how awesome a new app or fresh piece of hardware seems, we don’t want them to work with something that’s far removed from the mainstream.
In today’s post, let’s look at why we don’t want you to be far behind the tech curve… or to get too far ahead of it.
Falling Behind With Technology Puts You a Huge Disadvantage
We won’t spend much time on this point because the disadvantages of falling behind in technology are fairly self-explanatory. When you aren’t using the latest tools and equipment you aren’t as efficient as you could be.
That means you could be falling behind competitors, incurring extra costs, and spending time and money on unnecessary processes. It could also signal to employees, vendors, and even customers that your business isn’t forward-looking. For all of those reasons, you really don’t want to fall too far behind when it comes to upgrading your computers, devices, and software.
Getting Ahead of the Mainstream Could Cause You to Waste Time and Money
This is where things get interesting. A lot of entrepreneurs think they have to be on the cutting edge of tech implementation, but that’s not always a great idea.
When you have the newest devices and software, the concept is often stronger than the actual performance. For one thing, new technology can be rushed to market, meaning that it hasn’t been properly tested and debugged. And for another thing, it might not integrate perfectly with other existing tools or platforms. So, it may not work the way it was advertised, and could cause problems with your existing resources.
As bad as those issues can be, they are made worse by the fact that new technology can be very expensive. Put it all together and you could end up paying quite a bit for something you can’t actually use.
Looking for the Sweet Spot in Tech?
Every product and situation are different, but generally speaking, the sweet spot in technology falls a few months to a year after the launch of the device or app. At that point it’s been tested and patched, is widely used, and also happens to be affordable. That means you can get topline performance without breaking your budget.
Looking for more great advice on business IT? Visit our blog again soon or contact our sales team to set up a free consultation.