New technology can be a game changer and empower your employers to work better and smarter. However, if you don’t do the right research before you invest in tech, it could result in more roadblocks than solutions. Before you commit to a business technology purchase, get the answers to these questions:
- How many of your employees have LinkedIn skills in such technology? The answer to this will help ensure that you don’t end up with tech tools that will slow you down, require significant training, or interrupt workflows.
- How easy is it to use?
- What are the results of research and testing? What do the pros say about this technology? What do users say about it?
- Can you try it out and fail fast? You need to be able to get new tech up and running and determine if it’s not the right solution for you pretty quickly. In other words, there should be a short timeline to determine both success or failure.
- Have you studied and shored up your security? What additional security-related risks might result from this new technology?
- Does the new technology support and advance your goals?
- Will your employees actually use it? If not, what don’t they like about it?
- What positive impact is the new technology likely to have on customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and/or cash flow?
- Is the ROI worth the investment of both money and time?
- Will employees welcome a new way of doing things?
- Is there a solid business justification for the new technology? New technology should always have a purpose, whether it is to solve problems, increase productivity, maximize staff engagement, improve customer service, and/or enhance the bottom line. You should be able to present a strong case for why the investment is essential to the organization’s future.
