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Tech Trap No. 7 — Trusting Everything You Hear
Editor’s Note: Following is the seventh of our ten part series called “Technology Traps
and Mishaps,” by Fred Ode, CEO, chairman and founder of Foundation Software.
Sleep deprived people
should never go shopping,
especially at 2 or 3 a.m. I
learned this lesson long ago
as I was channel-surfing
during a late-night insomnia episode.
Though I usually never make impulse
purchases, I was drawn to a product
demonstration of a knife that cut
through an aluminum can and then
a radiator hose. And then, without
being sharpened, it cut thin slices
from a tomato!
Of course, I had to have it. (And if I
acted right away, I would also receive
a lovely set of steak knives). But, you
guessed it, when my knife came in the
mail, I was disappointed. Yes, it was
sharp, but it was, well, just a knife.
Mainly, I was disappointed that I fell
for such a gimmicky ad when I had
no need for a kitchen knife. (I was a
bachelor at the time).
This brings me to my next technology
trap topic: Don’t believe everything
you hear. While you are in the
process of shopping for new technology
products, you have to maintain
a little skepticism, as well as a little
trust. But mostly, you must rely on
your own due diligence.
I do not mean to disparage salespeople.
I was once in sales myself,
and I happen to have a great deal of
respect for salespeople.
Unfortunately, many tech shoppers
rely on salespeople for the wrong kind
of information, or they simply don’t
ask enough questions. They let the
salesperson demonstrate all the cool
features of a product and then make
assumptions about how it will work for
their company. Rather than asking,
“How can your product help with this
specific business problem?” they let
the salesperson run the discussion
with, “This is what makes our product
great.” And though the product may
be as slick as a tanker oil spill, it also
may have no practical application for
your unique business.
Inevitably, buyers may run across companies that resort to badmouthing
their competition. Should you
listen? Should you care? Most people
I’ve met say this is a real turnoff, and
it raises red flags about a company’s
honesty and integrity. I couldn’t agree
more. Attacking the competition will
only lead potential customers to look
elsewhere. When shoppers hear negative
sales talk, they should become
instantly suspicious that the salesperson
has nothing worthy to talk about.
The question you should ask is, “Why
aren’t you focusing on your product’s
strengths and what it can do to help
us meet our goals?” Like politicians
running for office, salespeople who
resort to opponent-attacking campaigns
don’t deserve our vote.
The truth is, no one can know all
there is to know about another company’s
product, especially when it
involves technology. Every company
is constantly evolving, and with continuous updates and product advances
being made, there simply isn’t the time
or resources to understand all that the
competition is doing. A salesperson
may think they know their competitor’s
product, or they may have heard
rumors, or perhaps they know a client
or two. But I wouldn’t call that valid
information. To rely on that information
is not smart shopping.
So, what do I really mean when I
say, “Don’t believe everything you
hear”? I mean take an active, not
a passive, role in your technology
purchase by conducting thorough
research of the best-fit technology
products for your company. Turn off
your selective hearing, and become
a critical decision maker. If you talk
to consultants, ask which products
they recommend and why. If you talk
to referral clients, ask what they like
and don’t like about the product. Be
sure to ask specific questions that
relate to how the product performs
in real-life, day-to-day operations.
Reading articles and reviews is also a
great idea, but make sure the focus
is on products right for your specific
needs and the information relates to
your selection criteria.
Yes, it may be tempting to believe
everything we hear (“It NEVER needs
sharpening!”), and we may even long
for products we don’t really need (“Act
now, and you’ll also receive...”). But
ultimately, the way to choose the
best-fit tech product for your construction
company is to avoid selective
hearing and pursue the due diligence
required.
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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