This blog post is by Guest Author Tim Cole of Causeway Technologies…
Do you think you know? As I enter my 14th year working to reduce the folly of computers talking to computers via paper, there are still many questions to be answered. Ah, you may say, don’t I even read my own presentation slides! Sure, I have answered this question many times and am clear as to why compenies “should” – just less clear as to what would makes a company actually “do it”?
The two key ingredients are that there is a clear “value proposition” to justify the change and a “critical event” to ensure the change is actually made. As I see it, the truth is that the value and motivation are both variables in the decision making chain and clearly mean different things to different people. As a solution provider we look to increase adoption rates by improving our functionality and offering flexible deployment and roll out options. But, 14 years down the road I still remain firmly wedded to the notion of simplicity. Most companies accept that eInvoicing, eOrders, etc., is the future for their business. However, many have yet to take the first step.
I somehow doubt there is anything close to a single answer, but it would be good to get a consensus as to what tickles the fancy sufficiently to get a business started: For example, in what order would you rank the following as incentives likely to result in a company taking the plunge … and don’t be swayed by what you thinks the answer “should” be!:
(a) My customers want me to do this.
(b) My suppliers want me to do this.
(c) My competitors are trading electronically.
(d) My company wants to achieve some cost savings.
(e) We have found a simple way to connect our application to the eWorld
(f) I have found a solution that allows me to maintain my existing processes
(g) Something else.
All answers on a “blog” please … perhaps there will be a clear consensus that emerges over time.
Here’s hoping …. and if we can’t nail the answer, perhaps we could at least share ways this has been attempted.
Thanks!