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Companies can learn how to find cost-efficient solutions to needs in spring class
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Monday, Nov 03, 2008
It's easy to get caught up in the hype of new technology, or be swayed by advertising pitches that insinuate you're a dinosaur if you don't have the hottest software or the latest upgrade.
But do you really need it?
Saving money by matching your company's real needs with cost-efficient solutions is one of the goals of a new spring semester class to be offered by Kent State University's College of Technology.
The course — which will be available for credit for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as open to business owners and the general public — is the first major effort of the new Consortium for Technology Portfolio Management Excellence at KSU.
Alan Plastow, founder of the Business Technology Consumer Network, helped form the consortium, calling it ''unique in the world'' because it brings together private, not-for-profit, academic and government resources to help educate individuals and companies about their technology choices.
''Think overpriced and under-delivered technology goods and services, right alongside punitive audits by copyright holders,'' said Plastow, who also teaches business courses at the University of Akron.
That latter issue is another topic to be tackled by the new KSU class.
Plastow said Ohio is among the top five states in the country for audits for software compliance, and Ohio companies have paid more than $5 million to the Business Software Alliance over the past decade to settle software piracy suits.
In many cases, he said, businesses don't even realize they are violating any law.
Verna Fitzsimmons, interim dean of KSU's College of Technology, said the college is interested in making sure graduates are in a position to help future employers make responsible choices.
''Just like everything else, we're paying more attention to the legal aspects. We're paying more attention to our intellectual property. We're spending a lot of money developing programs and ideas to help our companies make money and we have to be careful how we use those assets,'' she said.
But the college is equally
interested in helping local business owners succeed right now.
''If a company is concerned at all about their legal standing or concerned that they're spending too much money on technology, this would be a great opportunity for them to learn what they need to know,'' she said.
Plastow and Fitzsimmons said the consortium — which includes KSU's Manufacturing Technology Small Business Development Center — is looking at other ways to reach business owners.
''People look to the vendor who is making money to tell them what to do. The consortium will be a vendor-neutral place to ask questions,'' Plastow said.
For information about registering for the spring class, call the College of Technology at 330-672-2892.
For more about Plastow's network, visit http://www.biztechnet.org.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY
Alan Plastow, founder of the Business Technology Consumer Network, says companies can reduce up to 30 percent of their IT budget with more consideration before a purchase, and better management afterward.
- Have you purchased technology because you thought you had no other choice? Plastow said when Vista was introduced, companies rushed to upgrade because Microsoft said support for older Windows platforms would end. But Plastow asks: Who cares? ‘‘The average company never called Microsoft for support before, so why is that something to worry about now?’’
- Many companies rely on ‘‘standards’’ that are sent by the industry selling the product. But before shelling out hundreds of dollars for the most popular office or accounting programs, consider what you want the software to do. There might be free or cheap software that accomplishes the same goal.
- Before signing on to a new expensive telephone service, ask if inexpensive ‘‘voice over Internet’’ systems will work for you.
- Think it's cheaper to outsource your computer maintenance? Not having an in-house technician can be a costly mistake. ‘‘Hire it out, and you have no idea what someone may have done to your system,’’ Plastow said.
- Companies can put an auditing program on computers that would alert it when shareware, music or copyrighted games are downloaded and installed on company equipment. Better monitoring could help companies avoid hefty fines that result from random and required industry audits, Plastow said.
It's easy to get caught up in the hype of new technology, or be swayed by advertising pitches that insinuate you're a dinosaur if you don't have the hottest software or the latest upgrade.
Get the full article here.
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