March 2009 Strategic Technology Horizons
Ideas and Information for Your Business
Welcome!

GM is dying; the prognosis is grim. After the first round of bailout billions, GM halted construction on the engine factory for the Chevy Volt. GM is still touting the Volt as the future, but it will be hard to sell them without engines. More recently, GM announced the end of Saturn. Saturn made more money with greater car sales than Buick and Saab combined, yet GM is keeping Buick and Saab, and closing down Saturn.

In the face of increased demand for more fuel efficient cars and tough competition from Japan, GM is placing its bets on mid-size and large luxury models that do not sell well in the US or around the world.

My point: If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got.

The question for you this week: How are you making IT decisions?

Best Regards,
Allen

Four Actions for Better IT Decisions
Allen Falcon   Inertia Can Ruin Your Business

Most small and mid-size businesses get much of their IT advice from vendors and service providers. While a potentially good source of information, these sources can be biased, as they have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

1) Stay Current on Newly Maturing Technologies and Services
Most SMBs cannot afford to adopt bleeding edge or leading edge technologies. Tracking emerging technologies as the begin to mature provides perspective on their application to your business needs and the likelihood of long-term success.

2) Watch for Profitable Innovators
Within your industry and among industries with similar operating characteristics, keep an eye out for companies whose success matches their innovation. Most case studies reach the media under the stewardship of vendors. Innovation is only worthwhile if it leads to success. Identify the success first; then look for innovation.

3) Get Objective Advice
Seek advice from sources without a direct financial stake in the outcome of your decision. Peers from within your industry and comparable businesses can be great sources of ideas. Choose consultants that are independent of direct vendor relationships and subscribe to a code of ethics (like that of the Institute of Management Consultants).

4) Complete an IS Assessment and Roadmap
A small investment in a comprehensive Information Services Assessment provides a better understanding of how well your systems meet the current and anticipated needs of your business. A roadmap based on the assessment establishes priorities and guidelines for making IT-related decisions.

Do not fear change. Taking steps to overcome inertia and rethink your information services direction will identify opportunities ahead of your competition.

Tech-Savvy SMBs Can Lead the Economic Recovery
Chris Caldwell   Microsoft's 2009 SMB Insight Report

The US Small Business Administration has noted that smaller businesses are most likely to lead us out of bad economic times because they are nimble, innovative, and connected with end customer values.

In a survey of nearly 600 Microsoft Small Business Specialists in five countries, Microsoft identified several trends that support this position. While the survey was Microsoft-centric, the trends are quite noteworthy.

Strategic IT Investments bolster the Bottom Line
SMBs still see IT as a way to cut costs and improve productivity.

Lower budgets Mean Less Has to Be More
SMBs look to virtualization, consolidation, and services to add capabilities while reducing management and costs.

Service and Responsiveness are Key to Customer Retention
Collaboration, mobility, and analysis tools will have the best ROI.

SMBs Will Increasingly Adopt Cloud Computing
SMBS will move to cloud-based solutions that meet business needs more affordably, more flexibly, and with financially-backed SLAs.

While these trends appear to be common sense, they identify a significant shift in IT for small and mid-size businesses. SMBs understand that "more from less" does not mean "more from what we have now". Strategic investment that leverages more efficient and effective solutions will drive growth.

Things We Like: Shameless Self Promotion
The PR Team   It Was Bound To Happen

A few items of note have placed Allen Falcon in the news.

  • Allen launched a blog Footprints in the Cloud, focusing on Cloud Computing for SMBs.
  • Allen was selected as a judge for the New England Innovation Awards, helping identify innovators (like past winners Zipcar and Staples) before they become famous.
  • Allen was selected as a blogger and moderator for Internet Evolution, a macrosite for news, analysis, and opinion on the future of the Internet.

Share the Knowledge
  Email_@

Do you know a business owner or manager that might benefit from Strategic Technology Horizons? If so, please forward this issue.

Interested in past issues? Click here for the archives.
 

Contact Information

phone: 508-329-2058
Join our mailing list!


Forward to a Friend!

Safe Unsubscribe
This email was sent to afalcon@horizoninformation.com by afalcon@horizoninformation.com.

Horizon Information Group, Inc. | 4 Bellows Rd | PO Box 1129 | Westborough | MA | 01581-6129