Having a Stradivarius Doesn't Mean You Can Play The Fiddle

The rapid embrace of technology has now allowed the pendulum to swing way past its original intended target. That is, labor savings have been oversold, misconstrued and mistakenly implemented as substitution for quality of service and expertise.

Just because software may sell itself as a cost-cutting tool, it doesn't necessarily deliver on that promise and may actually hurt the very solution it was designed to create.

"We have a guy on a Mac" is a common excuse for avoiding outsourced advertising and marketing help, whether or not the "guy on the mac" has any strategic marketing background or experience.

"We use Quicken" is the reason why many people foolishly avoid qualified accountants, and probably miss hundreds of wiser tax strategies that software simply doesn't consider.

And "Nolo press sells estate planning software for only $49" provides false security for those avoiding legal costs, even though new legal entities and strategies are created every few months.

The fact is software and technologies are only tools. And ust because I sell you a violin doesn't mean you can play it. Without the proper experience, cost-cutting software can end up cutting your throat.

Rob Frankel