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Tech Trap No. 10 — Taking Technology for Granted
Editor’s Note: Following is the tenth of our ten part series called “Technology Traps
and Mishaps,” by Fred Ode, CEO, chairman and founder of Foundation Software.
A s a teenager, my parents
used to tell me if I was
going to be out late I
would need to call home.
“Make sure you have a
dime for the payphone,” my mother
would remind me. Of course, this was
long before the introduction of wireless
cell phone technology, and our
only means of communicating across
distances was through clunky landlines
(with rotary dials). And if I did
forget to call, my parents would question,
“What, you couldn’t find a pay
phone?”
Today, cell phones are ubiquitous.
They have crept into our lives and
changed the way we communicate.
And because we have the ability to
call others at all hours, we expect
people to be available at all hours of
the day or night. So now, when my
teenagers leave the house, they are
expected to call or answer our calls.
If not, we ask, “What, you didn’t have
your cell phone?”
When we become comfortable with
our technology products, when they
become so ingrained in our daily
lives that we no longer think about
them, that’s a good thing, right? Not
always. In fact, when the technology
products we are using become
like an old habit, it is usually a sign
that we are underutilizing all that
the technology has to offer, or we are blissfully ignorant to new technologies available.
Evaluating Technology Is an Ongoing Job
Chances are, like the entrenched popularity of cell phones,
your current technology product is also a favorite among
many of your competitors. So what’s to set you apart from
them? Successful, innovative companies are those that
constantly look for new ways to use technologies to accelerate
their efficiencies. Instead of settling for “how we’ve
always done it,” they ask, “How can we use our existing
technology to improve operations and profits?”
With the constant evaluation of existing technologies,
product problems and shortcomings are often identified.
It sometimes becomes obvious to users that their
beloved, comfortable technology is actually outdated and
obsolete. When that happens, change is necessary and
the cycle begins again: plan, implement, evaluate…plan,
implement, evaluate, ad infinitum.
Technology Is Only Part of the Equation
Much like how your car needs its 3,000 to 5,000 mile oil
change, it’s important to regularly evaluate your technology
processes, people and products to determine if everything
is running smoothly. A new technology product
that was getting the job done back when it was implemented
could mean nothing now. You may discover that
one estimator has abandoned the new estimating software
for his old manual spreadsheets. Or you may find
that the payroll clerk is doing certified payroll by hand,
even though your accounting software is fully capable
of automating this function. Or you may discover that
your haphazard approach to technology has resulted in a
hodge-podge of products, duplication of efforts and inefficient
processes.
Businesses are always in a state of flux, and nothing
moves faster than technology. As your company evolves,
as laws and markets shift and as your talent and resources
change, technology certainly cannot remain stagnant.
Regular technology tune-ups will help you identify
trouble spots and prevent you from taking technology
for granted.
Look at the Processes, Not Just Technology
Too many business owners look at technology as the
magic bullet and a long-term one at that. But just as a
new convection oven will not transform a lousy cook into a master chef, new technology products
alone will not solve problems or
create efficiencies.
“Garbage In, Garbage Out” is an
aphorism coined back in the early
days of computer programming that
many people still don’t get. It refers
to the fact that if incorrect data is
input into computers, the output
will be, of course, incorrect data. The
most sophisticated and robust job
cost accounting system, for example,
is incapable of producing accurate
reports unless accurate job cost data
is input—and that takes the right
people and the right processes.
More recently, another term is
being used, “Garbage In, Gospel Out”
to describe the tendency of people
to accept the output from computer
systems as the gospel truth. Of
course, we all know that people make
mistakes and processes are sometimes
imperfect. In addition, we cannot
put unquestioning faith into technology
with no regard for analysis or
interpretation. Failing to understand
how the technology works or what we
expect to achieve means that we are
taking technology for granted—at
our own peril.
As comfortable as we become with
technologies that make our lives
easier and our jobs more efficient,
it’s important to always stay vigilant
and open to new opportunities.
If we remember how far technology
has come and how it continues to
change the world of construction,
we can resist taking technology for
granted—and allowing our competitors
to pass us by. And if you don’t
think that can happen, try finding a
pay phone somewhere!
Fred Ode is the CEO/chairman of
Foundation Software, developer of construction
job cost accounting software
called FOUNDATION for Windows. For
further information on FOUNDATION
for Windows, visit www.foundationsoft.com.
Fred Ode can be reached directly
by phone at 800.246.0800 or e-mail
fred@foundationsoft.com.
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