Chapter 3. Technology: 60-Second Commute Essentials

Welcome to the age of technology. There has never been a better time to work from home. Even the catchword " telecommuting " was born of technology.

All home office professionals need equipment. Depending on what it is you do, technology needs can range from fax machines to copiers, computers to data storage. When trying to combine a family into the home office equation, choices in equipment become more urgent. You need equipment that will stand up to sticky little fingers or peanut butter smears. Erica has one darling who fed Cheerios into the disk drive of her computer.

If you're a telecommuter, your company may provide you with some or all of the equipment you need to "hook up" to the on-site office (though this varies from company to company). But if you're starting a home-based business, you may be worried about keeping costs low as you invest in equipment to get your company up and running.

And what about all the bells and whistles? Technology can easily become its own monster with so many gadgets and electronics you almost don't know where to turn first. Admittedly, too, some of us are "gadget geeks " who just can't live without all the latest electronic marvels. We see it in the computer store or eye our friend using it and just have to have it. But is having every gadget necessary, and is the cost and time taken to learn all the equipment's capabilities really worth it?

This chapter will then cover some of the basics of home office equipment. For starters, Cheerios in a disk drive will render said disk drive unusable.

Equipment and Gadgets

When it comes to equipment and gadgets, remember that you are mingling home and office. This means your equipment is exposed to certain hazards that regular on-site equipment is not. Durability is important. Don't forget to make sure your home or apartment insurance policy would cover the loss of equipment in the event of a robbery or flood damage (for more information, see our insurance chapter).

Remember the MIS department? In most companies they are a godsend ”and a bane. Maybe you remember complaining that they weren't "getting around" to fixing the gremlin in your office computer fast enough. Well, guess what? Unless you're a telecommuter, if equipment breaks down, you now have to pay for it (or at least spend a couple of hours on the phone to an 800-number). There's no calling the MIS department and complaining that you need a replacement. The first time you have a computer- related fiasco on your hands, you're going to miss those MIS people! Ensure you don't have a double disaster on your hands by investing in good warranties. These can cover anything from repairs to replacement, and they are essential for home office technology. A glass of chocolate milk poured over your laptop by your two-year-old darling? One, that's what they make spill-proof sippy cups for. Two, thank goodness you have that covers-everything-under-the-sun warranty.

As we pointed out in the last chapter, another wise home office investment is storage such as filing cabinets , an armoire, or locking trunk ”anything where you can tuck away your work at the end of the day. This, again, helps with that "line of demarcation ." Your personal life and work life may blur a bit more in the home office, so shutting down and literally putting things away at the end of the day can help you "leave" the office, even if that office is a few steps away.

Storage is also all-important with children (and pets) around. One safety warning: Filing cabinets are notoriously unstable. If two drawers are pulled out and you have a child who decides to go "climbing," this is a hospital emergency visit waiting to happen. Keep file drawers closed.

Here are a few ideas and suggestions regarding home office equipment and gadgets:

• You cannot skimp on your answering machine/voice mail. If you are trying to present a professional image, whether running a carpet-cleaning franchise or a small accounting office, there is nothing worse than someone calling and hearing a semi- warped taped message that sounds like static. It makes people feel uneasy, as if they're leaving a message for someone who may ”or may not ”return their call.

• Do not skimp on warranties, surge protection, virus scans , and disk backup space (such as Zip drives and CD-ROMs) if you use a computer. Remember, when you worked in a corporate environment, very often an MIS department backed up the whole "system" at night when you went home. You need to foresee computer disasters and be prepared for them (that also means backing up your work frequently and defragging your computer on a routine basis).

• Do skimp on bells and whistles. While a personal digital assistant like a Palm Pilot may be really cool and may in fact be extremely useful, if you are concerned about start-up costs, it is something a desk planner system under 0 can do if used faithfully. The same goes for other bells and whistles items like a built-in DVD player on a laptop. Nice but do you have to have it?

• Speaking of bells and whistles if you do purchase a personal digital assistant or software to input your clients ' information and so on, you may find that you end up spending an exorbitant amount of your precious time learning how to use it and use it effectively. And for all that effort, many people also come to discover they only use about 1/100th of the digital equipments' capabilities. For instance, we have a friend who works from home and has a Palm Pilot. Recently, this friend confessed she only used the digital assistant as a glorified electronic address book. Before you purchase a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other "gadget"-oriented item, gauge your own personality, such as aptitude for electronics. Many people swear by their PDA, but purchase one only if you know that, deep down, you're really going to use it successfully.

• Envision success, and buy for it ahead of time if you can afford it. For example, you may not think, initially, that you need software to electronically keep track of all your clients' addresses, phone numbers , likes and preferences, and orders. You may think to yourself, I only have 10 clients I can remember most of that in my head. I don't need the software. Fast forward six months when you are busy beyond belief and that client list has grown to 100. Now you may find yourself facing a truly aggravating and business- halting period of time making the changeover to the very software you could have used right from the start.

• While it may not technically fall under the heading of gadgets, don't forget all the little supplies . We take for granted, in the corporate office environment, that we will have just the right- sized rubber band , paper clip, or file folder. We assume we have an unlimited supply of Wite-Out , pens, paper, and laser cartridges. Take it from us, when you are trying to print out a 100-page document at the zero hour , FedEx is on its way, you're barely going to make the five o'clock deadline, and you run out of ink in your printer AND you don't have a spare cartridge, you ”and your client ”are not going to be happy.

• Don't skimp on organizational materials that work for you. Most home office professionals wear many hats, including accountant , marketing wiz, secretary, and even cleaning crew. The only way we have found to make this manageable is by being organized. If organization isn't your strong suit, pay close attention to the organization chapter. We can help you. Trust us.

• Look into products that do more than one function. Some laser printers function as copiers and fax machines. Some scanners function as copiers. Some computer systems allow you to send faxes via e-mail. In other words, with limited space and budget in the home office, products that also multitask (just like you!) are a good choice.

• Do your research on multitasking products. We have heard , in our research, stories of people who were displeased with the fax capabilities of a printer, or the copying capabilities of a scanner, for example. When purchasing equipment, it's wise to consider those that are going to get the most use. For instance, Erica never thought she needed a dedicated fax because of extensive e-mail use in the publishing industry. However, over time, it has become one of the more-used pieces of equipment. Now she regrets not investing in a better fax, one that doesn't jam each time she tries to fax more than 10 pages at a time.

• When making big-budget technology decisions, ask friends and colleagues for personal recommendations. Find out what they like ”and don't like ”about their printer, PDA, or laptop. If you can't get reliable recommendations, purchase magazines tailored to the PC or computer industry, or home office industry, and read up on the latest and greatest to find out if products live up to their price tag.

• Don't forget software. The latest version of Windows XP has security features that detect if you bootleg a copy. While many people rely on bootleg copies of software from the Internet or burned CDs from friends and family, you may, depending on your company, have to invest in software to run it. You may also have to invest in software you've never used before. For instance, suppose you're a PR executive and you use Microsoft Word for Windows to write your PR pieces. You've planned for that. However, you may have to invest in accounting software to run an actual company from home.

• When considering whether to have a separate phone line for your business, take into account the cost versus the inconvenience of fighting for the existing home line with other members of your household.

• If you DO share a phone line with the household, voice mail built-in to your phone system (i.e., available through your phone carrier) is an ideal solution. You can have a message that says "Push 1 for Tom, 2 for Dick, and 3 for Harry." The advantage is not having to rely on family members to take messages. Have the household learn to let the machine pick up during business hours if you are not available, and have the capability to have the message play if you are on the other line.

• If you're a telecommuter, you will need to coordinate with the on-site office on issues of technological compatibility.