Why are companies still buying tech rather than what their customers need ?

I had a meeting with a potential customer this week. It was good. Open, honest dialogue and I think NuForm is really well positioned to help. I can see what they need.

However, what I couldn’t understand is why they were in the position they were. They had paid a large consultancy/agency to tell them how to do their digital transformation strategy, at quite large cost. All they had got out of it was basically a list of technology platforms they should buy. Seriously?

After the amount of time that digital transformation has been a thing, is this still where we are at? Buying the latest shiny tech before really understanding and validating if its actually going to shift the needle in any way? I am not blaming the prospect by the way - I am blaming the agency.

I get it, we are in technology, and technology is the enabler - but I am baffled how companies are still not learning. They are buying tech first and hoping it works second. Obviously this is a generalisation but have we not learnt anything from the stories in the past of those big budgets blown on the latest thing?

Is it so hard to try and understand what customers want and what will make your business money before investing in a shed load of budget?

It doesn’t have to be expensive, long winded, over complex to build up some data to support decisions and have some validation before you go ahead and commit to big spend. Please drop me a note if this is the most obvious blog ever written and tell me I am stating the obvious - but if it is, why do I still see in 2023 companies making the same mistakes they were in 2015?

Whilst sometime’s I can absolutely see the need to build and learn - there is always room for a little research. Maybe I am missing something after all this time? Am I one of those doctors who would rather propose the holistic approach to health rather than selling oxycontin and making millions? Am I the sucker not wearing the slick suits and am missing out on loads of big IT budget?

Whatever the case - at NuForm, I would rather help our clients be successful and maximise their chances of success than sell some new shiny platform that might not be what our customers need.

Apologies for the rant - but if you would like to see how this is done and how NuForm can talk its way out of the big bucks - i’m always up for a chat!