Technology Traps and Mishaps - A Ten-Part Series

Editor's Note: The following is the introduction of our ten part series called "Technology Traps and Mishaps," by Fred Ode, CEO, chairman and founder of Foundation Software. To read the first part in this series, click here.

Implementing new technology and staying current with technological trends is a great way to boost productivity and profits and keep your company competitive.

The trick to success, however, also involves understanding common pitfalls and potential problems so that your "perfect technology solution" does not become your greatest technology mistake.

Over the years, having talked to thousands of construction owners and managers, the first thing I usually learn from people is what is not working for them. From their frustrations and difficulties, I have come to understand the many reasons why technologies fail, including those technologies that appear to be superior in every comparable way. Problems have as much to do with expectations, perceptions and decision-making as they do with concrete product performance.

Top 10 Tech Myths and Traps to Avoid:

1. Technology is always the answer. The first topic talks about the mistake of thinking that no matter what the problem, there must be a new technology solution out there. Bill Gates understood this trap well when he said, "The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency." Before looking to technology to solve problems, therefore, construction owners and managers need to look at the processes in place, the people using them and the capabilities of current technologies.
2. New is always better. This topic addresses the desires of some to have the latest and greatest, no matter what the cost. But not all shiny new toys are right for your business. New can be better, but not always...and at what point is it no longer cost effective?
3. There is no reason to change. On the opposite end of the spectrum, low-tech types cling to their old, yet comfortable, technology. Lots of people resist change because they fear: the unknown, they are incapable of learning something new or they are too busy to waste time with new technology implementations. Chances are, the "old" technologies are costing them a great deal more in inefficiencies and wasted resources.
4. The research is thorough. A few hours were spent researching the product everyone believes will improve efficiency and quadruple profits. The next step is selecting the short list of products, right? Wrong. That's because the research phase, which began with assumptions, is biased and flawed. If the goal is to choose technology products best suited for your company, you must start with a clean slate and skip no steps in the process.
5. Enough time and resources have been allocated. No matter how simple a technology product appears, the biggest mistake is to underestimate the time and resources it will take to select, narrow down the choices and implement the product. Remember the last time you made a major hardware/software purchase and promised everyone it would be up and running in just a "few" weeks? Enough said.
   
6. Selecting products based solely on price. It's a mistake to go into any technology selection process with a set price in mind. Thinking that you must spend top dollar to get the best product available is not always true. Companies often buy applications with all the bells and whistles when all they will ever use is the horn. On the other hand, setting the budget too low could eliminate the products that will serve you now and well into the future.
7. Trusting everything you hear. Everything you read in print and every comment made by competing vendors or others should never be taken as absolute truths. Do that and you risk eliminating the one product that your company could truly benefit from, or you could end up with a "lemon" instead of lemonade? The best way to find what's best for your company is to investigate yourself.
8. Not getting all users to "buy in" to the concept. You spent the time doing lots of background research. You pinpointed problem areas and identified the technology product that will bridge the gap. The investment has been made and implementation has begun. The problem is that employees want nothing to do with the "solution," and some have reverted back to old technology methods. The focus here is how to get everyone to buy into the concept from the beginning, become part of solution and be realistic with timeframes for learning curves and implementation.
9. Thinking a project is 100 percent complete. Lots of people think: "Wow that was a lot of work selecting a new technology product. Glad that's over."  Wrong. If you want to stay in business and stay profitable, new technology implementation must become part of your business plan. It's an ongoing process. Companies must always be tweaking technologies and looking for new ways to improve.
10. Taking technology for granted. Sometimes, technology can become a crutch, and businesses become lazy. Where once you checked over every report, now you think there is no need to worry about it. But are the figures really correct? Just because the numbers line up in pretty columns doesn't mean that the formula is right or data entry was flawless. For example, many businesses fail to take the time to copy important business data "because it's all safely saved in the computer." That is until a fire or hurricane takes out the office and no backups were stored offsite.

Construction Business Owner, July 2006