Management matters - Cash for computers

The decision to buy a new computer system for the practice fills many practitioners with dread. Not only will they have to work out exactly what they want the system to do, they will also have to think about specifications, where to go to buy the hardware and, crucially, how to pay for it all.

As with any small business, opticians have a variety of choices when it comes to buying the hardware. One of these is to buy from a local independent store, which will custom-build a computer for you. This route is often taken by people who want the reassurance of having someone 'just down the road' who can help deal with any problems.