7. Have a Solid Test Plan for Adding New Technology
The big guys don't put some new tech into their operations without first doing a lot of testing first. Put together a test lab or designate one office that will be your "beta bar," and encourage your most technical staffer to try out new things before getting them deployed.
Ramon Ray, the owner of the site Smallbiztechnology, advises that in addition to testing, it's important to analyze a variety of options. "Just don't just go for the first choice, but think and review the pros and cons and what else is available to you. During the testing, it is also important to consider your future needs. Many smaller businesses don't think of their future growth, which will affect their IT plans," he says.
David Strom is a veteran technology journalist, speaker, and former IT manager. He has written two books on computing and thousands of articles. His blog can be found at strominator.com.