Don't use technology for the sake of using technology. If the use of technology improves your customers' or employees' positions, then technology brings solutions.

But the existence of technology doesn't mean it's always the best way to solve problems, save money, or improve efficiency. In fact, when the use of technology is one-sided, vendors lose customers, and employers sabotage employee performance. Sometimes we get so caught up with bells and whistles that it's easy to ignore common sense. When that happens, take a step back, reassess, and redefine how you're delivering VALUE to others.

Sometimes a technology is good for customers and employees, but it needs a little time to get everyone on board. For example, some banks issue a 50-cent credit to account holders who use the ATM for deposit transactions. Initially, ATMs were not trusted. Patrons needed a time of transition to discover the convenience of this technology. Now that the idea has taken hold, electronic banking via ATMs works for the patron and the bank. That's because the vendor is offering value and convenience in exchange for cost efficiency. But what about companies who want to slash waste at the expense of customers?

If you have to cram technology down someone's throat, reassess. Amex charges commercial establishments a monthly fee of $4.50 to receive paper statements. If your business accepts Amex from customers, you'll lose $4.50 unless you agree to get monthly statements online. Talk about holding your customers hostage. Amex never asked each merchant client if they wanted the option; the decision was thrust it upon their customers. To retrieve digital statements may be inconvenient for some firms. To have to print those same statements, using your own time, your own paper, your own ink cartridges, is even more inconvenient. Remember, win-win?

When you implement a new measure, everybody should come out better for it. Telephone companies say, "Sign up for digital billing and we'll give you a credit on your monthly bill." Too bad for customers who have to print their digital bill. The time and cost to print an 11-page statement every month seems to exceed the measly few cents offered by the telephone service provider. Companies like this expect customers to do the extra work and foot the bill. Sounds less like customer service and more like self service.

If you want to reduce expenses using technology, provide value to others at the same time. You can be sure one of your competitors will. Give value whether you're offering a new online system to customers or implementing a new computer network internally to employees. And never cut value when you're asking for more money. You don't want customers or key employees to jump ship. To transition simultaneously to lower operating costs and equal or greater value, keep these tips in mind:

1. Service the customer first. The already-hurt airline industry is pushing harder to charge more for normalcy and mediocrity. Yet airlines Southwest and JetBlue are discounting, offering good (to great) service, and winning business.



2. Adopt the "both/and" perspective (from TechnoTrends author, Dan Burrus). You may be ready for the change, but customers may not. Amex didn't consider customers who don't have an auto-print feature. Their customers may have to go online or face a procedure that doesn't fit their current system. Remember that some people may have technology and tools to convert and others may not. Just as Dan Burrus says, in the future, there will be BOTH paperless offices AND offices with paper. It's not an all or nothing perspective; it's a both/and perspective.



3. Give options and tools to make the transition easier. Don't "strong arm" customers. It ticks them off, then they buy from your competitor. Keep old options available, and offer discounts and greater value to those who save you money by accepting new options.



4. Be patient and account for the time lapse. It could take customers or employees a year to reach where you want them to be "yesterday."



5. Make them feel good about doing business with you. New technological services should make people happy, not irritated or afraid. A large ISP (Internet Service Provider) released a cheaper and better server program for web designers, but then threw a curve ball. The ISP changed billing from monthly payments to every six months. Worse, customers had to pay for the six months in advance due to high product demand! Some people were angry, and some were just unable to afford the switch.

Technology should improve one's condition, not deliver burden. When you want to make improvements in products, services, and operations, make sure that parties on both sides get more value. Business isn't always easy to come by, especially when consumer confidence is low. Employee turnover is expensive. The smartest approach to technology-based solutions is with an eye on the bottom line and a goal of delivering value all around. Then everyone's happy.


David and Lorrie Goldsmith are managing partners of MetaMatrix Consulting Group, LLC. Their firm offers consulting and speaking services, as well as conducts seminars for senior level management. They can be reached at (315) 682-3157 / 888-777-8857 or email to Offering a "30,000 feet view of business management with hand-to-hand combat." MetaMatrix Consulting Group, LLC. specializes in business management offering consulting, seminars and speaking services internationally. Managing partners, David A. Goldsmith and Lorrie Goldsmith can be reached at (315) 682-3157 / 888-777-8857 or email to david@davidgoldsmith.com

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