Free is never free

Breffni Potter
Jul 20, 2017 · 2 min read

I like my money. I like not spending it, I like getting a good deal, finding a bargain or better, getting something for free. Many of us do

But its never free, its not free to the person who gave it to me, the company who made it or the resources used to create it.

So, free e-guide on how to backup your business is offered. In exchange for the “free” guide, you pay for it with your contact details and become a lead. This is called gated marketing, same way you’d pay a toll when crossing a bridge, you pay information to get free stuff.

Now let’s look at free software. Starts with the words “I want a free thing which solves this specific problem” It could be CRM, Finance, Security, It does not matter, the problem is we often look at open source software as being fantastic because it is free.

It is great because companies can see all the raw code, they can audit it, different people can contribute and the product gets better but there is a cost, its not in the buying of the software it lies in:

- Cost of training, do you know how to use it?
- Cost of deployment
- Cost of migrating from 1 system to another
- Cost of reliability, is this tool reliable? Is it tested? Is it safe?

Who pays for all the above? Have you factored it in?

IT professionals can introduce you to lower cost, lower risk, faster and more reliable tools to get stuff done but none of it is free. If anyone ever says “free tool” someone is paying for it.

If you are offered free, be suspicious, if someone offers you something at a big discount, beware.

Sometimes you do get a generous gift, sometimes you really do get a good deal but most of the time, its a trap for later down the line.

Dara IT

We are one of the few IT consultancies in the UK (possibly the world) who are not resellers. Anything is possible, when technology and people are in sync. We help our clients achieve their goals. Technology is a tool, we can help you make the most from it.

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Breffni Potter

Written by

I help people tell stories and spread ideas that matter. breffni.co.uk

Dara IT

Dara IT

We are one of the few IT consultancies in the UK (possibly the world) who are not resellers. Anything is possible, when technology and people are in sync. We help our clients achieve their goals. Technology is a tool, we can help you make the most from it.

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