As the director of business development for Spitfire Management, I get the chance to speak to a variety of people.  Many may be in need of their first project management system or have been using an older, off-the-shelf or homegrown system for many years.  It’s my job to bring the Spitfire Project Management System to their attention.  I also get to hear a variety of excuses as to why they don’t really need to spend the time looking at any systems.

Now certainly, everyone is busy.  But there are those who express a desire not to change anything at their company or bring on a new system that would possibly require a “learning curve.” There is always fear of the unknown and of the additional effort needed to learn a new system.

Today, in most industries, everyone is experiencing budget cuts and having to multitask more each day.  Many of the people who are in this situation dismiss my overtures regarding having them participate in a demo by saying, “there’s no budget!” Many do this abruptly, without even knowing what any of the costs are.

And finally, I encounter some project managers who simply say, “ it’s not my job” to look at systems and are just not interested in exploring anything new.

Some of these attitudes may have been accepted in the past. But this is all erroneous thinking in the 21st century, when all employees are expected to be “empowered.” Everyone needs to help seek out better, faster, less expensive and more effective ways of improving every part of the business that they’re involved in.  It’s everyone’s job to bring forth ideas that will improve both their personal work, as well as the total effort of the company.

In a matter of minutes, most companies that develop project management systems are able to give a prospective user a reasonably detailed demonstration of what their system does and how it would be of value to that person’s company. That’s why it’s sometimes difficult to understand the kind of thinking that keeps people from going forward to just, “see what’s new.”

Regardless of the company that wants to give you a demo, there is certainly no obligation on your part to proceed any further than a first meeting.  At a minimum, even if you don’t find the system to fit your needs, you will have a deeper understanding of one of the systems that are out there and be able to compare it to what you now have.

At Spitfire Management, we use GoToMeeting for our demos.  This allows us to meet with you right on your desktop. In front of your computer. All you need is an Internet connection.

The Spitfire Project Management System is demonstrated using a “live system.” We take you through the typical workflows, so that you can understand the ease-of-use, the control, and the security that the system provides, as well as how it can alert you and keep you informed of all the events in the project. And ultimately, how it can improve and safeguard your bottom line.

So the next time that someone calls and offers to give you an introduction to a new product or system, keep an open mind and realize that those 30 to 45 minutes you spend might actually change your life!