As a leader in your business, you are the one responsible for navigating the technology jungle and determining which products are worthy of investment. You should ask the following six key questions when considering the wisdom of purchasing a technology-driven product.

You do not have to be a corporation's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to know that today's owners and managers are encountering an ever-increasing array of technology-driven tools designed for use in hospitality operations. That's a good thing.

But, for anyone who has ever struggled with getting all of the features to work properly on their smartphone, or who has gotten frustrated or even defeated by the vast array of remote control devices needed just to watch TV in their own homes, it's also clear that to be truly valuable, technology has to be useful and not just advanced. That's especially true in the business world. As professionals who design and deliver training programs exclusively for the hospitality industry, we can attest that not all progress is easily achieved; so experienced business professionals must look for proven ways to distinguish solid business decisions from potentially costly mistakes.

For managers, the value of any technology tool is the result of much more than simply whether that tool is digitized, wireless, blue-toothed, or even what it can do. But that's also why managers who don't know the difference between the "Cloud" and the "Fog" can still determine the usefulness of an advanced technology product prior to buying it.

Even before the important factors of cost and quality of vendor are considered, all buyers should ask themselves (and their technology vendors) six key questions when considering the wisdom of purchasing a technology-driven product.

Six Must-Ask Questions for Choosing Tech Tools

1. What problem does it solve?

The first question buyers must ask is "What problem will be solved by the introduction of this technology?" To be truly useful a tool should allow work to be done better, faster, more often, or by lower-cost workers. Before buying, managers should have a firm grasp of exactly how the organization will use the product to solve one or more of its existing problems.

2. Can my staff incorporate it?

Managers must be realistic when considering whether staff members working with the tool actually possess the skills needed to use it. It is especially important to note that technology salespersons have a vested interest in portraying their products as convenient and user-friendly. However, these salespersons are trained and experienced users specializing in their own products. Savvy technology buyers should ask themselves if their own (average) staff members have the skills required to utilize a product and, if they do not, whether an upgrade in technology could actually result in increased employee frustration, decreased efficiency, and increased costs.

3. Will my staff actually utilize it?

Knowing how to use a tool is not the same as using it. Most hospitality managers know how to use a shovel... but most don't (at least not at work!). Buyers must consider all potential obstacles to adoption. Unless staff members can be clearly shown how a new technology-related product is of direct benefit to them, their normal resistance to change can make the implementation of new technological tools a real challenge.

4. Will it save us time?

The best technology tools address a task that management should be doing, or is already doing, and allows that task to be done better, faster, or cheaper. Automating and digitizing manual tasks that already are, or should be, undertaken to improve operational performance most often makes good sense. A tool, however, that asks a business to do things it has never even felt the need to do; (e.g. collect, assess, organize or report on data of little known importance) must be considered very carefully or employees may rightly conclude the new tool makes their jobs harder, not easier.

5. How will it save us money?

In nearly all cases, unless an advanced technology tool can be shown to save more money than it costs to buy and implement it, the purchase may be unwise. You must answer this question before you can possibly assess the purchase price of an advanced technology tool. Savings can be in product costs or labor. However, unless individuals using the new tool can be assigned additional tasks or have their scheduled work hours reduced, labor savings achieved may be in convenience to the employees only; rather than increased business profits.

6. How will my customers benefit?

If an advanced technology tool is to be truly useful it should be easy to show its direct benefit not only to the organization buying it, but to that organization's internal or external customers as well. In some cases external customers may not notice a technology upgrade. But if that is the case, managers must carefully consider if the proposed purchase truly enhances their customers' experiences.