Keeping Your Technology Current
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008We are too often confronted with the problem of trying to advise clients who cling to old technology. It is tempting for a business owner or manager to take the approach “it works fine let’s not change it.” The feeling is understandable, after all we know of, or at least understand, the difficulties that accompanied the introduction of the existing system. Few business managers welcome the pains of introducing new technology.
But here is the downside of that approach:
1. You are locked into a system that is destined to become outdated. Technology changes over time. Systems that have no growth path must eventually die.
2. Properly designed systems will, by their nature, provide you the capability of asking ever more complex questions and getting important answers. Systems that can be, and are, modified to answer new questions will be of the most business value.
3. The key driving force in the adoption of new technology is improved productivity. Technology that does not improve productivity is not long embraced. To the extent that you avoid new technology you lose out on likely productivity gains.
4. Personnel know when technology is antiquated. Lack of progress in technology is a symptom of lack of progress in the business. The best and the brightest don’t want to work in that environment.
5. Stagnating systems attract, and are the comfortable home of, stagnating people.