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“Bob, don’t tell my Chief Engineer that I asked you this, but — do I really need to spend $10,000 on this new piece of equipment?” The conversation occurred years ago, but it could have been this morning. In this article, I’m going to give you six steps you can use to make good spending decisions about new technology upgrades.
In the late ’80s and early ’90s I was fortunate to be the Regional Technical Manager for a multi-state network that combined three distinct technologies: wireless, telecommunications, and data networks. Thanks to this multi-faceted role, I had the honor of meeting people who were specialists in all three disciplines. I also had a lot of interaction with the business people who guided the course of these enterprises.
One thing I learned is that engineers and business owners don’t always see problems the same way. (I know, you’re shocked, right?)
A Secret Outdoor Meeting
We leased space for some of our wireless equipment on a tower owned by a commercial radio station a few miles from our office. I was working next to the tower, and the owner of the station came out of the studio and walked over to greet me. That was a pleasant surprise; he was a nice man, and I always enjoyed talking to him. I didn’t know it yet, but he was on a secret mission…