Do you really need that system? The hidden side of IT vendors' sweet talk and the first step to avoiding failure

Hello, this is Yamauchi.

"DX," "cloud," "paperless"...

Every time you hear these buzzwords, do you feel anxious, thinking, "We need to do something about this too"?

You might have had the experience of consulting an IT vendor, only to have them rattle off jargon like a spell, causing you to quietly close their catalog.
Some of you may have had that experience.

As a professional who has worked with many business owners who have an "IT allergy," I can state this definitively.

What you need is not an expensive system that changes your entire company.

In this article, I will share how to spot the "traps" set by IT vendors to protect your valuable company and employees.

Beware of "vendor tactics" that use jargon as a weapon

If a salesperson uses these words with a refreshing smile, be on your guard immediately.

"President, let's build a 'full scratch' system exclusively for your company.
We will also guarantee 'scalability.'"

These are common clichés used to confuse business owners who are not familiar with IT.

• Full scratch:
  Completely custom-made from scratch

• Scalability:
  The ability to adapt even if the company grows in the future

I have seen many cases where a cheap rental software (SaaS) available for a few thousand yen a month would have been sufficient, but the client was lured by such sweet talk and ended up receiving a bill for 10 million yen.

What is even more terrifying is that once built, the contents are too complex for the company to modify itself, and hundreds of thousands of yen in "maintenance fees" disappear from the company every month forever.

It is truly a black box that keeps sucking money away.

A shield to protect yourself
"3 magic questions" to evaluate IT vendors

If you are about to be talked into something using jargon, try asking this question at the end of the meeting.
You will clearly see whether the other party is a "true ally."

1. How will that 'specific task' of ours become easier?

Can they translate it into daily operations and explain it?

2. If the staff can't use it, can you quit immediately?

Whether there is an 'escape route' in case of failure

3. For a company of our size, which features are 'better not to buy'?

The sincerity of worrying about the company's budget

If you get a vague answer, stop the negotiation for a moment.

Summary of this article

The first step to IT implementation is not introducing the latest system.

It is about carefully eliminating the small 'inconveniences' happening in your company and the 'sighs' your employees let out, one by one.
That is what IT implementation should truly look like.

The first step starts from something much closer to home and more tangible.

In the next article, I will explain in detail two concrete measures that will dramatically make your workplace easier starting tomorrow, using only the 'smartphone' already in your pocket, without using any special software or expensive equipment.

I will introduce concrete ways to eliminate 'sighs' in the workplace starting tomorrow with 0 budget and 1 smartphone.I will introduce them.

Scheduled update: Wednesday, March 18th

If you can't wait until tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you on my blog.

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