Are the benefits of computerized business systems oversold?
Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." This is true only if you are blind to the amount of work involved in advanced technology, which distinguishes the two immediately.
This
website is full of information, advice, and perspective about computerized
business systems. Our advice is often cautionary because these systems
often seem to work magic, which often leads to unrealistic expectations.
In any case, advanced computer technology does revolutionize businesses and lives. You see it everywhere.
A
salesperson can track thousands of leads, telephone calls, and products,
dialing the phone automatically and sending dozens of emails with a single
click from a laptop computer.
One clerk can enter 400 orders in a day and send a customer-specific price list in a matter of seconds. A small company can accept payment for thousands of Internet orders in one day.
A CEO can monitor a running forecast of revenues with alarms that automatically signal problem conditions, like a low bank balance or other "budget variances".
An accountant can access any past transaction in seconds and see exactly what it did for the bottom line. A service technician can quickly access anything ever known by anyone in the company about any customer problem.
An
Organizational Development professional can track every person's work
activity and see what each company project costs. Managers can quickly
communicate facts to their workers supported by reliable calculations.
An entire company can avoid duplicate entry and have every piece of data available for mining and analysis. A sales manager can generate reports and graphs based on years of data.
This
is a wonderful new world, but like stage magic, computer magic requires lots
of preparation and work. Improvements need to be made methodically,
based on reasonable expectations. Improvements need to be the
focus instead of magic.
In brief, the benefits of computerized business systems are often oversold, because the software, expertise, and hard work needed to realize their potential are usually neglected. Once you understand this point, of course, it becomes unimportant. The important point remains that potential benefits of computerized business systems go unrealized because of this same neglect.
Please review our business systems and services to see how we can help improve your business.
Certified Computing Professionals