IT is an expensive implementation, but it is only another tool in the business strategy armament. One can hardly say the company is floundering just because there is no need for such a strategy.

""For companies of this size, it is critical to be able to retain control of their IT spending and investment," said Paul Cash, managing director of Partners in IT."

Why? What happens if they don't? Does their existing software stop working - or are you now telling me that the magic systems you asked them to purchase 2 years ago aren't quite as good as you said they were?

Because we hear this bullshit all the time. Some mythical "killer app" - there's no such thing, never has been - or some magic computer that will turn your debt into riches.

People need to stop wasting their money, and only buy new systems when they actually benefit them. Get a real systems analysts in to look at their kit and the way their business functions. Someone who has nothing to gain by recommending upgrades or new software.

Not some dick in a slick suit with a Powerpoint presentation, a lot of meaningless graphs and some well thought out bullshit.

Andy:

Completely agree with you on that one. As if small businesses have the time, money and resources to hire some leisure suited marketing head to tell them how they have been such idiots in "throwing away" all this money and how if they bought their latest 2.0 tech; it would make money rain from the heavens.

I see this kind of blabber all day in my line of work (small business IT Manager). Not a week goes by without two or three calls from "consultants" and "integrator" companies telling me how (without ever stepping into our office) they can help us "find hidden value in IT".

Leave us be and let us do our job. Its hard enough trying to justify IT spending to upper management types without having some marketing fluff telling them why IT is currently a waste.

</end rant>