NORTHEAST April 17, 2017
14 THE BUSINESS NEWS
www.TheBusinessNewsOnline.com
In the age of gadgetry,
be sure to define need
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Former Showcase Home offers panoramic
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• 3,100 square feet of living space
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• Stereo sound system throughout main
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• Professionally paved patio
$354,700
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MAY 19-21, 2017
IT’S PERSONAL.
Former Showcase Home offers panoramic
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- FridayThe
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andRun
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finishers’3village
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• Fireplace in living room, master
bedroom and lower-level family room
• Open concept with vaulted ceiling
in dining, living room area
• Custom-built cabinets
• Hardwood, tile flooring
• Stereo sound system throughout main
level
• Professionally paved patio
$354,700
Call (920) 819-7747. More details
and photos available on Zillow.com
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R
emember when the iPhone was first
released in 2007? Did you get one? If
you did, do you recall thinking that this
was the next big thing in technology? “Boy oh
boy, this is going to change the way businesses
communicate,” right? I doubt it. If you were an
iPhone early adopter, you probably saw it as a
gadget and continued to use your Blackberry for
business communication as the rest of us.
The problem with that first-release iPhone was
a lack of business email support. Most companies
utilized Microsoft Exchange for their email,
calendar and contacts. Apple did not incorporate
the full use of Microsoft Exchange until their
second release of the iPhone. Sure, there were
workarounds, but ultimately that first iPhone was
a gadget. Many new technologies are gadgets
when they are first released.
So, how do you know what to buy, when it
comes to your company’s IT investment?
There are a lot of factors to consider when
making an investment in technology. I like to
start with three, core categories: purpose, business
functionality and usability. All three of these are
relatively self-explanatory, but I believe there is
value in digging a bit deeper.
Purpose speaks to the problem you are trying
to solve with this new technology purchase. ie.
Steve needs a smartphone so he can receive his
emails when outside of the office.
Defining purpose is nothing new. That has
been done since long before technology took
over. The only caution with technology is to
ensure that this request is a need, not a want.
Technology has become the new window seat in
business and employees often ask for a second
monitor or new tablet, to demonstrate their value
to the company. There is good cause in asking
Steve for an ROI on that smartphone. I think we
all know that Steve’s Candy Crush habit doesn’t
qualify as a “need.”
Business functionality brings us back to that
first iPhone. The iPhone was a breakthrough
in mobile phone and handheld computing
technologies. However, that first iPhone was not
ready for business.
We need to consider the function when
purchasing any new business equipment. A good
example of this is with PC equipment. You can
buy a laptop from Best Buy but, odds are, that
laptop is only licensed for consumer use. The
home version of Microsoft Windows, which
comes pre-loaded on consumer laptops is not
going to be able to join to your business network,
where security settings and shared resources are
frequently defined.
You may save a few dollars on the initial
purchase, but you are sacrificing business
scott
tornio
Guest Columnist
TECHNOLOGY
functionality. Purchasing professional-grade
equipment and software from a licensed business
partner is always advised and is often lessexpensive in the long-run. Pay for functionality,
not support.
Also, do not confuse cool with functional.
Virtual reality headsets are pretty cool, but
they are not going to help with most business
functions. Not yet, at least. If your purchase isn’t
making you more efficient, more productive or
better informed, it is a gadget.
The last item is usability. So often usability is
overlooked in business. Just as no two people are
alike, many employees work differently. Get your
employees equipment they will use and you will
get more from them.
Whether it be from appreciation or simply
enjoying the experience, an employee who is
using a laptop they like or an iPad that makes their
life easier is going to use that equipment more.
Get to know your employee and their work
style. Some people like a bigger screen. Others
prefer light weight. Windows or Mac. Android or
iPhone. There are many options when it comes to
IT equipment and many are similar in cost. The
caveat here is list position and usability is third
for a reason.
Do not sacrifice purpose for personality or
place form over function. Your new equipment
is solving a problem. If that problem can be
solved by a prettier, lighter or more user-friendly
solution, all the better.
Other things to consider are equipment
standardization, budgets and how your technology
investments today, align with your long-term
strategic plan. These items are just as important
as anything listed above. When the time comes
to invest in enterprise systems, servers and longterm IT planning, you are going to need a proven,
IT management resource to guide you along the
way.
I’m pretty sure this Internet and computer stuff
is going to stick around for a while. Be informed
and be ready, with technologies that can move
your business forward.
Scott Tornio is vice president of
HawkPoint Technologies.
Want to write a technology column? Contact us
The Business News is looking for technology
professionals to offer tips and comment on
technology issues that may be helpful to
businesses throughout Northeastern Wisconsin.
Commentaries must be no longer than 750
words. If you’d like to write a commentary,
please contact Larry Desch at ldesch@
thebusinessnewsonline.com.