November 23, 2007

Learning from Wireless Networking Why Setting Up Technology Hardware is Painful

Last week I installed DSL from Earthlink. The process was painless and quite easy. After using MCI for a number of years I switched to Earthlink DSL with Voice as they had the best deal. I kept my same number and the transfer and installation went very easy. Everything went according to plan and as the instructions directed.

I went to Staples a few days later and bought a Belkin wireless router to enable wireless Internet connectivity all around - this process was not so easy.

I followed the instructions in the manual but things didn't work quite right. I won't bore you with the details. But when I stopped following the instructions and used my own geek knowledge things fell right into place.

Lesson learned? If you are going to try to "save money" by installing technology yourself, you might find that you are wasting a lot of time and in the end maybe not even implementing the technology solutions you really need for your business.

Now, more than ever, small businesses must have at least one good technology consultant who can help them grow their business. This technology consultant is more than just someone to "fix their computers" but this is someone who can help you use technology as a tool to GROW your business. They don't have to know everything, but they can point you in the right direction.

My car recently needed a new tire and wheel. I went to my regular mechanic and he said I could get one from the junk yard for $20. I went there and they said it would cost me $75 as they didn't have one in stock.

I went to a little shop in a neighboring town that specializes in tire repair - that's all they do. Day in and day out. Guess what? They looked at my spare tire and realized it was a full, regular sized tired (not a donut). They replaced the tire and wheel that needed replacing with the spare tire and weheel and suggested I use the replaced tire and wheel as a spare.

Total cost: $10.

It pays, in more ways than one, to use an expert

0 comments