Technology Questions Every Business Owner Should Ask

Acquiring new technology for your workplace may not be your cup of tea, but it is very important to decide which system to choose. You don't want to end up losing millions of dollars because your new accounting system broke down and fixing it would take days, even weeks.

When purchasing technology-related products for your office, here are some questions you should ponder before deciding.

Who makes it? - Know the manufacturer of the system, as well as its location, its years in the business, and its strength in the industry. In most cases, the best technology comes from the best companies. Like looking for a new business partner, you have to make sure that you do as much research about the company as possible.

Who supports it? - Sooner or later, your new technology would break down and it would be best to know who are you supposed to contact in order to fix it. Find out how quickly they provide their service. You could try calling a 3:00 a.m. one morning before buying the product if their "24/7 response team" would answer right away.

Are there hidden costs? - Your product may only cost a few thousand dollars, but what about the annual maintenance and support fees? Are you also supposed to shell out more money for training, customization, and installation? It is best to get all the costs upfront.

Are there other technologies required to make it work? - For instance, if you are buying a completely new software, you need to know what hardware is required. You may spend additional amount in purchasing additional hardware and or software required to make your new product work.

What services are required to make it work? - Don't believe it when they say installing the product is easy. Even the smartest people would be stumped in one way or another when dealing with certain technological products, especially without the proper training. Find out how much time would be needed by outsiders to get your application or equipment running.

How long has it been around? - It is a best choice to purchase the leading products, those that have been tested by other companies beforehand and given their thumbs up. Never buy anything that has just been released, no matter how tempting it might be. Let some unwitting company find the bugs for themselves.

Who else is using it? - Never buy technology without hindsight. Research for other users of the product and inquire (or find out) about how it has benefited their work so far.

How will it generate profit? - If it is not going to contribute in your company's increased revenues, why bother buying the product? You should be able to know how much estimated profit would result from this investment.

Can I test it? - Never buy a product out of impulse, or just because the vendor says so. Test it yourself. If they refuse, don't buy it.

Will it be compatible to my other systems - When buying new technology, make sure it is "open" (or accessible) to other systems that your company already has. If you bought an operating system that only runs on Mac, for instance, when you have a roomful of PCs, you have a big problem.