Dazzling
techno-tools
can distract

The first rule in buying a
computer: Know what
you need it to do

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

A local computer dealer said a small-business operator once walked into his shop and declared: "I want to get a scanner so I can read my mail on the computer."

Other entrepreneurs will look at computer catalogs and see power, multimedia capabilities, all kinds of techno-gimmicks and think, "I've got to have all that."

Think again, say Honolulu computer dealers who help small businesses. The primary thing the entrepreneur needs to un-derstand is just what he or she plans to use the computer for, dealers say.

Most likely they don't need all the capabilities that are available. Why have 3-D video when you basically want a machine for writing letters, sending out bills and controlling inventory?

In fact, says Daniel Kea, small-business manager at the CompUSA store on Ala Moana, having all that stuff in the machine can be a curse, creating conflicts that cause it to crash just when you're doing something important.

For a business with a few employees, a basic commercial system is the best, Kea said. "The computer companies make two lines, one for the average Joe and a business line," Kea said.

Built for business

The at-home computer user probably wants games and maybe video capabilities, as well as Internet connections and maybe some personal accounting software.

The business computers, on the other hand, don't have a lot of those extras. "They're built better. There's not as much multimedia, etc. With a lot of that stuff they'll crash on you," Kea said.

"Business machines are made to be more stable, they're made to run 24-7," 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Kea said.

"The first question I ask (business customers) is what they want to do. Some businesses come in looking for a specific product -- like QuickBooks or Peachtree (accounting software) -- that they've used in the past," he said. Others need guidance.

Another thing to bear in mind, Kea said, is that it's likely the small-business system will need to be upgraded or replaced fairly quickly as needs change and new products come out.

Get advice

Most people want computers for invoicing or an all-in-one office solution -- point-of-sale transactions, invoicing, record-keeping, inventory control, correspondence and so on, he said.

His company specializes in training business people to use the equipment and software once they've bought it. There's a bottom-line reason for that: "There is almost no markup on hardware. It's in services and training that we make our money," Kea said.

There's another good reason for making absolutely sure that the small-business operator gets what he or she really needs, said Steve Nakano, manager at OfficeMax, also on Ala Moana.

"If we don't sell you the right merchandise, then it's going to come back," Nakano said. That's not good for the store or the customer.

The store can guide customers based on the history of the client and other clients, he said.

"For us, it's what your usage is going to be. Based on that information, then we can point things out for you."

Like the other stores, Office-Max advises small businesses not to just buy on instinct or impulse based on something they've read. It's far better to come in for advice in the first place, Nakano said.

Tailored to your needs

At Personal Touch Computers, a small store just across Keawe Street from the giant CompUSA outlet, owner Jeff Litvinoff claims an edge. His computers are newer than those that people buy off the shelf in the bigger stores, he said.

"If they bought a computer off the shelf it's a few months old already. Everything here is less than a week old," Litvinoff said.

That aside, he agrees with the others that the most important thing is tailoring computers and software directly according to the customers' needs.

"I'd have to find out what their needs are today and what their needs will be in a year, also what kind of budget they have," he said.

Keep in mind Entrepreneurs looking for business computers are advised to be prepared before they hit the market. A few tips: Don't load up business machines with unneeded extras. Assess what tasks you want the computer to do. Consider what upgrades or new software you may need down the road. Set a budget and stick to it.