Be A Futurist to Prepare Your Technology Plan

It’s time to dust off the old crystal ball now that you’ve started to work on your Technology Plan. I don’t know about you, but when I look into the future, I think my crystal ball has been broken for years.  At the least, it’s very cloudy and has a crack in it.  I’ve always admired those folks who write articles about the future and then years later you look back to see that they were close to right with their predictions.  For today—we’ll all become futurists as we think about the technology plan.

Technology changes so fast! What’s hot today is obsolete tomorrow.  It’s really not possible to keep up with what’s new all the time–even for someone like me who works with it everyday.  But I can help with the heavy lifting for today’s task.  Let’s look at some of the key areas that might fit into the futuristic look at your technology plan:

1) Mobility. Ask yourself a few questions about how mobile you would like to be.  Do you need access to email from other computers or perhaps from your phone?  Do you need access to your “Stuff” from computers other than your own?  Do you currently have or use a laptop?  How about a Netbook (new smaller laptops–ultra portable but still have quite a bit of horsepower built in)?  Personally, I have taken the plunge and am migrating my mobile needs to a new netbook.  Have you thought about a BlackBerry or perhaps an iPhone?  Mobility can also include remote access; that is—remotely accessing one computer via the internet from another computer.

2) Cloud Computing. This is a somewhat confusing and nebulous term (pardon the pun) that describes using computers other than your own and outside your network to store and handle information.  If you currently use any kind of web mail for your email–you are working with cloud computing.  It can be as simple as just web mail—or as complex as storing and doing everything on servers hosted by other companies.

3) Wireless Internet. How you connect to the internet might change in the future.  There are still a few folks that connect using dial up–but it’s not viable for a small business.  Most businesses have a broadband connection–either cable or dsl.  Many small businesses currently have one or more wireless cards from one of the phone companies that offers internet access wherever you have a cell phone signal.  There’s also a new initiative that covers entire areas called WiMAX.  Portland is one of the first cities in the country to have full WiMAX service available.  You might also be getting internet access through your cell phone if you have a data plan subscription.  Wi-Fi is another wireless method that uses a local access point and has limited range.  Many businesses have a wireless network that allows network and internet access for nearby computers.  Most newer laptops have a built in wireless/Wi-Fi adapter.  Wireless technology is one of the fastest changing areas of all.  It’s important to recognize some of the terminology so you can effectively plan for the future.

4) VOIP. This is short for Voice over Internet Protocol.  Using the internet to transmit voice signals instead of a phone line is becoming more common.  Many of you may already be using VOIP and not know it.  Small businesses are moving to VOIP as the reliability and availability of high speed internet connections increases.  It has the potential to substantially decrease your phone costs when properly applied.

By now you’ve listed some of the technology you currently use based on my previous article. You can now add to the list, some of the futuristic things you might want to incorporate into your business.  Keep in mind that it’s all about communication!  We use our technology to communicate and collaborate with others.  With more effective communication–your Small Business can be more profitable.  With more effective communication–your business will have fewer headaches and less frustration.  I encourage your feedback; then I can more effectively provide information to help your Small Business Grow and Profit.  Next we’ll get into the details of your plan and talk more specifically about email.

Have a Great Day,
Rusty Lee