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Time Management
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• Consider buying a maintenance contract with every pur-
chase. Be sure that it offers a temporary replacement unit
if yours must go in for repairs.
• Ask friends to share with you their experiences with simi-
lar devices.
• Consult publications and Web sites that assess product
reliability.
• Try to have a backup unit or system in stock or in place
in case of a breakdown.
Planned—or Unplanned—Obsolescence
Not too many years ago, consumers suspected that manufac-
turers deliberately planned for their products to become obso-
lete. The auto industry was a prime example. Models would
capriciously change each year and automobiles would appear
old within a short time.
Planned obsolescence is no longer necessary. Because of
the speed of technological change, things become obsolete
without planning. Such quick change is most obvious in the
electronics industry, where things become noticeably smaller,
swifter, and more powerful within months.
When you commit yourself to a new tool, do plenty of
research and then ask yourself, “Will this still serve my needs
and make me competitive in five years?”
It will be a hard question to answer because it’s impossible
to know everything that’s on the technological horizon. But the
question will force you to project your needs and research the
product. And articles appear constantly that attempt to predict
the near and not-so-near future, so you won’t be entirely with-
out guidance in answering the question.

The Basic Hardware
There are certain technological tools that almost no business
can do without in today’s environment: the telephone, of course
(and voice mail), the personal computer (together with soft-
ware, modems, scanners, and printers), fax machines, pagers,