Cooking Up a Computer System

In last month’s issue my article began to explore the similarities between cooking and technology. In this article, I’d like to explore that analogy a little further.

Who Are You Feeding and What Do They Want to Eat?

Any good chef will start with what she needs to create – an entrée, a dessert, a full-course dinner? How many does she have to feed?

For your computer system, look at what you need to accomplish. Do you provide professional services so client relationships are where you spend the most time? Are you a retail store in which your inventory/sales system is at the heart of your business?

When you plan a meal, you typically start with one main item and prepare the rest of the meal around that. For example, a typical American meal will have a meat as the main item with side dishes that complement that meat. You would also choose a main style (Southwestern, Chinese, French, etc.) and have dishes that enhance the flavor of the meal as a whole.

You want to do the same with your computer system. You want hardware and software that work together so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Tricia’s Rule #1 is Never Retype! That means your contact manager, which stores all of the contact information, history, etc., should be able to use your word processor and email program. Your POS system should talk to your customer database. You want to be able to move information between applications. And, you want hardware that provides enough “gas” to run the software.

Another area to consider is information access. How many people need access to the same information? How current does that information need to be? Where are you and your employees? In the office? Around town? Here, there, and everywhere? How often and from where do you need to access your information?

The answers will determine what software and hardware you need. It will also help you figure out what support you need – in-house and externally.

What else do you need to do? Do you want to create information products to complement your services? How do you want to produce and distribute those products? Again, your answers inform the choices you make on what hardware and software you need to buy, or they will help you get even more return on the products you already own.

A good chef will figure out what kind of crowd she’s feeding. Are they a scrambled eggs kind of group? Are they a little more sophisticated and prefer an omelet? Or, are they high-end and prefer a crepe?

For you, that means looking at your business, what you need to accomplish, and your level of reliance on technology. If you are in the trades (a plumber, electrician, etc.), your customers don’t expect everything to be computerized. They just want their drain cleared. Back in your office you’ll want a functional system that gives you the information you need and prints out some reports and customer statements.

If you provide professional services like accounting or consulting, your clients’ expectations are much higher. They expect you to have high quality printed materials. They expect you to be able to communicate with them in a variety of ways very quickly. They expect you to have immediate access to not only their information, but the latest information in your field. No scrambled eggs for this crowd. They want crepes, preferably with a lobster filling.

What Ingredients Do You Have?

Finally, the dish you have ultimately will depend on your ingredients. For your computer system, that means looking at the hardware and software you already own as well as what you’re prepared to buy.

It means looking at the support you require. Evaluate the quality and cost of that support. Do you have someone in-house who can manage things? Will you rely on a vendor? Are there consultants in the area who can support your choices? Do you have choices? What are your training options?

I suggest clients find local support (including training) for any software they buy. If the company providing the software only has one office across the country, and that’s it for training and support, it usually will be slow, inadequate and/or very expensive.

Let the Feast Begin

Obviously, a few eggs can end up in very different dishes depending on the crowd as well as the cook. Assess your needs, skills and ingredients, then blend them together into a dish that tastes right for you.

And, don’t forget – those eggs are going to get broken in the process of preparing that dish!