And so do you.
Whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or Joe Schmo starting your first business, you’ll need the right tools to do your job effectively. This is obvious, right? Well, not so much. Oftentimes a business owner will only buy what they need – not what they should have.
A mechanic could work this way as well – instead of buying a (more expensive) ratchet set, they COULD get by with just an open wrench. If mechanics worked this way, they’d take twice as long to get the job done. And no, this doesn’t mean they’d make twice as much money – soon the customer will realize they can go elsewhere, and pay half as much for labor costs. Does an oil change shop really need that fancy (expensive) drive-in setup to change your oil? No. Do they make more money because of it? Yes.
So let’s start with hardware.
Without getting into a lengthy Mac vs. PC discussion, let’s just talk basics. Macs are actually cheaper when it comes to the overall cost of ownership. If your employees are all using Macs, you don’t have to worry as much about viruses, crashing, etc., meaning your employees are spending more time being productive, and less time troubleshooting their computers. They’re also very environmentally friendly – something to consider as a good citizen, but something to also consider if you are operating in an environment where your customers and business partners will tour your workplace. Let’s face it – Macs look better to onlookers. If you are going to go the PC route, do some good research.
iPhone or Blackberry? Again, don’t want to get into a lengthy discussion (and everyone has their own preference), but consider alone the amount of third party application support for the iPhone. There is a plethora of business applications for the iPhone that are simply not possible (and don’t exist) on the Blackberry. Check out Apple’s iPhone in Business page – especially the case studies.
Aside from choosing the right brand, also consider the efficiency and output quality when making certain hardware decisions. Let’s pretend we’re starting a small design agency and need to pick out some hardware for the designers. Consider the following:
- Monitor quality: if your designer uses an inexpensive monitor that can’t accurately display colour, the designers output will be jaded
- Mouse: if your designer wants an expensive mouse (or tablet), it’s probably for a good reason. They’re probably accustomed to using certain devices, and getting them something new will just add a learning curve to their already busy day, and may skew their performance.
- Computer: brand aside, make sure their computer can open large Photoshop files in under 25 minutes
- Chair: a graphic designer is likely going to be sitting for most of their day – why not make them comfortable?
Alright, on to software.
So of course this imaginary design studio would have Adobe’s Creative Suite – but what else would they have? Going back to the mechanic metaphor, they COULD get away with only using Photoshop. But what about scheduling meetings with your designers? Tracking new clients? Managing their projects? Would it be nice to have them record the time they spend on particular projects so that you can report back on it later? How are you updating your company blog? A lot of these things can be done with paper and pen, instant messaging, and sign language – but how efficiently? Just because something can be done without additional software, doesn’t mean it makes sense to.
Software can be tricky – there are so many options out there. Where should I look for advice? Here are a few places to consider:
- AppStorm: Mac.AppStorm and Web.AppStorm offer great reviews on software for both Mac and web apps
- Twitter: try using Twitter’s Search mechanism, using keywords relating to the type, brand, or product name, to hear what other people are saying – in real time
- Business & Finance Downloads: if you go the Mac route (hopefully you’re convinced by now), Apple’s Business & Finance downloads page is a good place to start (many software demos to try for free)
- Forums: depending on what industry you’re in, you may want to poke around on a niche-specific forum and ask others what they’re using
Fun stuff too.
People need to have fun once in a while, right? Find something that fits your budget, whether it’s a Nintendo Wii or an artificial wave pool for surfing – your employees need something to unwind with. Work hard, play harder.
Can’t I just get by for now? You can, and of course everyone has a budget. The important thing is to make effective purchasing decisions, and not “cheap out” where it counts the most. If you’re an accounting firm, you probably don’t NEED a 30 inch Apple Cinema display – but if you’re a designer, it will probably help you make more money.
Just remember, mechanics need tools, and so do you.
Great article. Monitor color reproduction always concerns me. My laptop displays colors differently than my iMac. I made it a habit of always checking my website designs on lower quality displays just in case.
love it. function over fashion i always say.
Really good article u guys are a great help…
Tanks
Excellent article Ryan – Particularly enjoyed the ongoing Mac persuasion!
@The Molitor – Yeah, it’s quite hard to deal with. I’m not much of a designer myself, but it’s hard to pick between designing on a GREAT screen (only for most of your audience to see it differently) – or design it on a mediocre screen (similar to the majority of your audience), which doesn’t have accurate colour reproduction.
@David Appleyard – Haha, can’t help it
I moved to Macs a bit over a year ago and recently got a new MacBook. I tried to convince my self that it might make more sense to buy a less expensive Dell equipment, but failed.
Owning two Dell notebooks and a MacBook I came to realize that the cost of owning the MacBook is much less than owning a Dell laptop. The life time of the battery is a prime example. One of my Dell notebooks goes through a battery every year. That cost alone more than compensate for the price difference to get a better Apple computer.
Hi Ryan – great article. I always look at computer hardware and software as tools. There are so many options, I think it’s great to try out a few alternatives and see which fit you the best.
Now that I’m working full time from home, I’m trying to make some wise investments that keep me healthy and productive for many years to come.
@Adrian – you nailed it. Not only is it important for productivity, but for personal health.
Being frustrated with hardware/software on a daily basis can really cause emotional pain.
I actually had a bit of experience with this recently:
I had to downgrade the RAM in my Macbook from 4GB to 2GB in order to verify whether or not the RAM was defective. Operating on 2GB of RAM for a week was quite horrendous. Frustration got the best of me on more than one occasion, hurting my productivity and causing me unnecessary stress.
Happy to be back at 4GB
Been buying Dell Refrubished laptops for years and never had a battery go — talking hard usage. Now I recognize the Mac is great for design; but look at the hardware installed in your Mac — not keeping up, assume they’re getting rid of overstocked inventory.
And since Apple backdated stock options from 1997 to 2002 with Steve Jobs full knowledge — well, trust in Apple is damn foolish. ( Don’t mean to say there is some company that I am in love with. ) Look at the product — I can get a lot of graphics for the price differential between a Mac and PC.
@dunnage Great points, but I’ve found after using Apple’s OS I just can’t go back to Windows.
I was a die-hard PC user before I began working at Marketcircle – ever since I haven’t been able to look back.
Ryan, this is a great article. I’ve been a die-hard PC person but your article about Mac’s advantage made me rethink about Mac. I had to reinstall OS twice this year on my 4-year-old laptop, so I started looking for my next one.
The problems of switching to Mac for me are the initial learning step and software. I already own software that I like and don’t want to spend more money on Mac version.