NFIB

Getting What You Need
03/ 28/ 2002

by Rachel Adelson

Buying technology can be confusing and costly, so heed the experts and plan. Otherwise, says Ludmilla Parnell, program manager for the Air Force mentor-protegee program at Fairfax, Va.'s Anteon Corp, "you find yourself with a lot of disjointed stuff."

Glenn Ricart, CTO of Santa Clara, Calif. computing outsourcer Centerbeam Inc., says: Keep It Simple, Stupid. "When you buy more than you need," he explains, "you have corresponding maintenance issues. And upgrades are often overrated, except for security. Don't buy something until you really know you need it; [given how prices drop over time], it's also a way to get greater price/performance."

Generally, says CEO Carmen Larsen of AQUAS Inc., a management consultant and technology integrator in Chevy Chase, Md., "it's important to understand industry standards and where the industry is going. Don't necessarily get what came out last month, but get a proven product that's relatively modern." She seeks stable systems that give her "the most flexibility to integrate software and systems that are off-the-shelf. And it's easier to find people to maintain these systems."

When shopping, Ricart says, ask, "What's the lifetime of this system? How long will this be good for?Why is it designed this way?" and look for a business answer, "something like, 'because it's easier to get information,' " says Ricart. "If you hear, 'because it has embedded Java,' that doesn't help you understand if the technology is built to align with your business."

When do you outsource? "If you don't know the answer," Ricart advises, "outsource immediately. Do something in-house only if you're awfully sure you know how to do this stuff." To find a good IT specialist, "Ask someone whose judgment you respect to recommend someone," suggests Neeran Saraf, CEO/CTO of Saraf Software Solutions of Falls Church, Va. "It's hard to figure out from a resume." Saraf adds that you can always ask a knowledgeable technical person to interview candidates.

And when do you hire a CTO? Until the need and funding for a big-picture person are clear, Saraf suggests hiring a "very good operations person," trained in the methodologies of big companies. Then, she says, relax. "Give them breathing space. You're not supposed to be doing the infrastructure."

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You Better Shop Around

Evelyn Goldstein, a small business consultant in Silver Spring, Md., offers these tips:

When considering technology options, seek free advice tailored to your business from a Virtual Assistant (http://www.assistu.com).

Find an online community of like-minded people and commit to one e-mail subscription list (often called "listserv" after the popular program) to discuss things important to your business.

Check tech reviews and information online at sites such as Zdnet.com, which also offer online training and free trial downloads of new software.

On a regular schedule, peruse sites such as http://www.zones.com, which has a PC Zone and a Mac Zone, along with similar sites to keep up with new products and prices.

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This article originally appeared in the May/June 2001 issue of MyBusiness Magazine, NFIB's member magazine.

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