Russell Bell: Right equipment crucial to business success

The whole set up runs in such a way that it is taken for granted - until there are issues.

Having the right equipment is crucial to any business undertaking. For me, a computer (particularly a laptop) is a given because of the nature of work that I do. Add to that the software, some of it specialised, and I have what is necessary for me to function effectively for my clients.

And like many businesses the whole set up runs in such a way that it is taken for granted – until there are issues when the importance of certain "life lines" becomes starkly evident.

About 10 days ago my "old faithful" PC showed signs that it was about time to send it to
"computer hospice" and with that I took a gulp and purchased a new one. Everything was going swimmingly until I had to download the latest version of Microsoft Office. Now, many readers will recall that from time to time, this Generation X writer will hail technological advancements and other times will berate them. This falls into the latter category.

After following the on screen instructions to the letter (including taking more than a minute to completely, accurately and validly enter in the complex 20 digit code) for a split second I remembered all of the times that PC issues had caused me angst. In that instance I had a small amount of concern but set it aside "How hard could this be" I thought.

Well, how wrong I was. The download which should have taken about 10 minutes (I googled this on my phone at minute 47) failed and, given that there were no instructions for failure I had to again Google on my phone what to do.

The deep irony of this situation was that I had to get my old computer out of PC hospice to log into Microsoft and start an online chat with a technician to diagnose my issue and then attempt to fix it.

Russell Bell Business Zen Zenith

During the three hours that followed I yearned for the halcyon days of the past where you were handed a disc and just followed instructions. This yearning bounced around in my head for some time, amplified by the fact that the longer I was without a PC the longer it is that I cannot work and earn. Although the voice of reason (Mrs Bell) - who could not help experience my angst as I had myself camped in her office – said "why didn't you just call Safemode??"

Enter the heroes of this story. Although the Microsoft technician did eventually solve my issue – which was that I somehow had started my download twice (again, pretty hard to do if they had given me a CD like the old days!) – it could all have been avoided if I had handed my new PC to them.

Anthony and the team set up my new system, linked it to phone and tablet and (here's the rub) told me that I didn't need to purchase the MS Office in the first place – they have set me up on Microsoft 365 and access to cloud back up.

The moral of the story is, next time you are getting technology for work or home, go first to an expert like Safemode (they're in Taupo Quay) for two reasons; firstly, they will ensure you select the right hardware and software for your needs and secondly, they will ensure that you will not endure the crystallisation of a very real risk – technoinstallfailurebyme!