If you’re a small business, the start of a new year’s always a good time to review, replace and upgrade your technology ... but be wary of oversell.

Just as car salesmen are adept at talking you into extra features you hadn’t even considered, so too are those who peddle the latest in computing hardware and software.

I was reminded of this fact during the week when asked by a friend and small business-owner to configure a new ADSL modem / router for her small office.

Thanks to a power surge, her existing modem - which had faithfully connected her to the internet for almost two years - had finally died. Needing to get re-connected as quickly as possible, she'd ventured into her local electronics store to purchase a replacement.

After explaining her needs to an enthusiastic assistant, she left with a gleaming new modem/router incorporating the latest high-speed 802.11n wireless technology. Also under her wing was a companion 802.11n card suitable for connecting a device wirelessly to the modem.

All this sounds great until you realise it was way more than she actually needed. As a sole operator, her entire computing infrastructure consists of a single desktop PC, which had connected to her earlier modem via a standard Ethernet cable.

So, while the wireless performance of her new purchase is very impressive, it's also completely wasted. As for the accompanying wireless adaptor, that's going straight back to the shop for a refund.

It's a simple example, but it got me thinking about how often businesses purchase technology and capabilities way above what they actually require. All too often.

It happens with everything from notebook PCs to operating systems and word processing packages. Reguarly, the features that seem to be 'must haves' at time of purchase are never actually used.

For those who observe technology for a living, making savvy choices appears easy. But for the vast majority of business people, it can be a task filled with expensive and unnecessary mistakes.

Do all your staff really need the latest high-powered, ultra-slim notebooks? Does everyone require a fully-blown office productivity suite?

I'm not suggesting everyone becomes a techo-scrooge, but if you're looking at new hardware or software purchases this year, take a little time to think about exactly what you need, and then find products that match.

Anything more than that is unnecessary cost to your business, and who can afford that?