| Has anyone ever tried to sell you something you | | | | need to purchase a new one. Where will you be |
| were completely uninterested in purchasing? You | | | | when there aren't computers available to run your |
| know, the long and drawn out sales pitch with the | | | | DOS program? Develop a plan now, and you |
| salesperson talking nonstop about features, not | | | | won't have to panic later. |
| even stopping to take a breath for fear you will | | | | 2. Your software product is no longer being |
| say, "NO." | | | | supported. If your product is no longer supported, |
| It's times like this when we appreciate our ability | | | | you will not be able to get your questions |
| to be assertive and walk away. This situation can | | | | answered and will be left to handle questions and |
| happen just about anywhere from the car | | | | problems on your own. Updating to something |
| dealership to the perfume counter, or to a work | | | | newer will allow you to ask questions and get help |
| situation. The simple resounding answer to give | | | | when you need it. |
| these tenacious sales people is, "NO." Purchasing | | | | 3. You are spending more time 'tricking' your |
| software for your company is no different! If you | | | | system than simply working with it. This is the |
| are currently satisfied with the accounting or | | | | kind of thing you don't realize you are doing until |
| payroll software for your business, it's probably a | | | | after you change software. Set aside one whole |
| good idea to stay with what you have. After all, | | | | week where you consciously keep track of how |
| switching software involves a learning curve, and | | | | much time you or your staff spends manipulating |
| your company will need to take the time to | | | | your software to handle the way you need to |
| adjust. | | | | enter or analyze your data. Are things such as |
| And while the above is true most of the time, | | | | invoice entry or inventory tracking taking you |
| there are certain times when a business person | | | | three to four steps when they should really only |
| believes they don't need to move to a different | | | | take one or two? If so, you and your staff could |
| software application, yet for the good of their | | | | save significant time by moving to a system that |
| business, they absolutely should. Here are the | | | | can handle your needs. |
| main reasons a company should consider a | | | | 4. You have a hard time finding hardware that will |
| software move, even when they don't think they | | | | work. Simply put, you should be able to find |
| need to. | | | | hardware such as computers, printers, and other |
| 1. You are still using a DOS based product. There | | | | devices for your business without much hassle. If |
| were many excellent DOS products available in | | | | you have to search from store to store or on |
| the 1980s. In fact some of them still work well to | | | | eBay to find a device that will work with your old |
| this day. This leads some people to believe they | | | | software system, it's time to upgrade your |
| can keep using the program(s) to run their | | | | software. |
| business indefinitely. If you are using a program | | | | 5. You stay with your current software because |
| that was created in the 1980s, the upside is that | | | | you are afraid. Don't feel bad. There are many |
| the company you bought it from must be pretty | | | | business people who simply stay with the |
| good to have kept it working that long. If you | | | | software they have even while they know full |
| drive a car from the 1980s you have surely had | | | | well they really should move to something |
| a lot of work done just to keep the thing running. | | | | different. They know that their security would be |
| Nothing can last forever. When it comes to | | | | better, their processing would run more smoothly, |
| software, DOS based software is a thing of the | | | | and that they would save themselves and their |
| past and you need to move forward as soon as | | | | staff valuable time by moving to newer software. |
| possible, or at least develop a plan to do so. | | | | Feeling bad won't help, but developing a plan to |
| Operating systems are moving forward and | | | | move forward will. Even if you can't make the |
| Microsoft has released Vista, with talk of the next | | | | switch now, planning it out ahead of time will |
| system around the bend. Your DOS system | | | | reduce the worry and stress you are feeling right |
| probably won't work on either one. So if any of | | | | now. |
| the computers in your operation crash, you will | | | | |