Has Anyone Seen My ROI? (part 1)

I love doing ROI calculations. I suppose if I had started out in something that had less compelling returns, it might not be the case. Then again, I turned down some early job offers after college when I could not at least napkin out their ROI on what I would be selling. There is a funny thing about ROIs in corporate America today though: when was the last time you saw an ROI that did not pay back? Now ask yourself how many times you have seen a project your company undertook that did not pay back?

So I can’t say that I have ever seen someone else’s initial ROI calculation that did not show a sure pay back. So is every project considered or undertaken a good one? Doubtful. I suspect the first opportunity for error is simple human nature. What vested interest does the person doing the ROI calculation have? Why would they fudge the numbers? It is not like they are getting a kickback from the vendor (if they are you have bigger problems). In most cases, people tend to dislike cognitive dissonance (wiki definition). Many times, very early in a project the influencers (real decision makers who don’t have authority) already have their mind made up as far as what direction to go (build / buy / outsource) or what tools to use (vendor selection). When that is the case, it is tough to get objective ROIs.

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George Washington’s Parchment Inbox???

I have a hobby outside of obsessing about the best way to automate data entry in a claims department or underwriting process: it is collecting quotes. Most of my favorites come from the founding fathers, although I have collected ones from figures throughout history. I thought I would start out with a post that helps people understand what this site is about.

We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.
George Washington

You see, I have come by most of my lessons through “dearly bought experience”. The way I learn is by going through it first and understanding. Since most of my lessons where so expensive, I thought I would use them for something other than for the benefit of my customers. I would hope that I can share some of the things I have learned without my readers having to pay such a steep price.
So what of Washington’s inbox? We have all heard of the paperless office. I think I read that King George predicted the paperless office all the way back in

Welcome to the Paper Inbox!

The paper_inbox is a blog focused on the use of technology in Corporate America. While there will be attention paid to subjects anywhere within that very broad description, most articles will deal with imaging, capture, workflow and outsourcing. Industries that will see the most specific information posted will be insurance, finance and software development. If you are lucky, we will keep out of politics, religion, and philosophy but no promises!

Please feel free to post your findings as they relate to any of our articles – especially if your premises or conclusions contradict those on the site! We will do our best to respond and perhaps foster some healthy debate.