My parents sometimes worry me with the LACK of modern technologies that they actually use. I can kind of understand the stuff like I-Pads and even texting, but gee guys get call waiting on your phone or DVR on your TV. Maybe invest in a GPS instead of calling your destination and asking for directions while you take an hour to write it down. Let’s not even mention smart phones that allow you to receive emails and……dare I say it, have a GPS.
I guess I should just be happy that they at least use a microware and have a cell phone (for emergencies only). The fact is this anti-techno world they live in while survivable is without many benefits. Their grand kids rarely call because the phone is many times busy or they get the answering machine. Yes, I said answering machine, no voice mail here. They miss out on the many text pictures of their new great grandson and those random “love you Grand Momma” text. Instead of paying bills online they take still write the check and put it an envelope and mail it. At a cost of about $1.00 each and then pray to God that the United States Postal Service may by chance get it to its destination. Good luck with that.
Many business owners approach business management and sales just like my parents do their day to day life. Failing to accept the many tools that could make their life easier and more productive. My parents only will miss a phone call or message from time to time, the business owner misses a lot more. Ignoring the new means of how a large portion of your customer base communicates (text, email, etc.) is costly and business suicide. My business line rarely rings, but my cell phone is constantly active and I get scores of emails text every day on my smart phone. The days of slapping an ad in a local publication, TV or radio station with your name and phone number and waiting on the phone to ring are over. Today, you have to build the trust of your customers by developing a relationship built on that trust. That task requires technology and technology is actually less expensive than the traditional means of marketing in the past. This is why companies like Amazon are booming while Sears and Kmart are sucking the wind of failure. Ericson phones are gone. They were asleep at the switch on that smart phone and android thing that everybody’s talking about. American Airlines will die this year due to inefficiency due to the presence of antiquated technologies like an out of date reservation system.
Much of this is like the lumberjack that cuts trees with an axe is probably less profitable and sure as hell a lot more tired than the lumberjack that has a chainsaw. What’s even worse is the lumberjack that is cutting trees with a chainsaw but doesn’t realize that it has motor. He has the technology and has no idea how to use it to its fullest benefit.
I guess the question is….. do you have a business chainsaw and do you have the knowledge of how to use it? If you don’t, you may want to outsource to a lumberjack that does. The cost…….think about where saving the cost of adequate technology got the guys over at Sears and American Airlines. This in not Mom and Dad in Myrtle Beach sitting around clipping coupons. It’s real business with a real competitive challenges and it really matters.