“Jeromy you haven’t been here in a few months, have we done something to offend you?” I was taken aback when I was asked that question by a local business owner. For the past several years I’ve been on a routine of handling my personal issues in person rather than relying on technology.
Since hanging my shingle nearly ten years ago I’ve personally handled all business transactions. I’m a penny pinching Yankee at heart and an inherent control freak and micromanager. I fear technology failing and automated transactions collapsing my business.
About six months ago I started monitoring the amount of time spent running errands and performing my routine tasks. Notice I said “my” routine tasks because I’m not sure they’re everyone else’s. I discovered I spent about fifteen hours per week were performing tasks that could have easily been handled online or via technology.
Visiting the bank is a great example of a time waster. I use a major bank for most of my business and in the past made all of my transactions with a teller. In addition to my bank I also visited three other banks as needed. I figured I spent three hours per week driving from bank to bank.
In an effort to take back three hours and limit my drive time, I worked with my bank to centralize about 90% of my business with them. In other words, I use my bank for credit card processing and a litany of other tasks I once spread between several financial institutions. Additionally, I overcame my fear of ATM machines and realized how convenient an ATM can be.
I spend a major amount of time ordering parts and scheduling orders. An hour every day was spent on the phone with vendors tracking parts and placing orders. Most of the vendors I currently use have online stores, and using their shopping carts reduced my time by around 80%. Additionally, I saved around 5% of cost by shopping online.
At this point you’re probably asking yourself why someone whose business revolves around technology is so reluctant to embrace technology. Answering that question is very simple: I simply don’t trust technology. Gadgets break and data packets can be lost. ATM transactions can be misplaced and online orders can be shipped to a different address.
My business is repairing failed technology and rebuilding equipment after breakdown. I understand more than anyone that stuff breaks and everything can be wiped clean with the push of a button. I had to overcome my fear and start using technology in order to relieve myself from the burdens of long lines and time on-hold.
ATM technology, for example, has come a long way. It had literally been ten years since last making an ATM deposit and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was and how little time my transaction took. Within five minutes each check was accurately scanned with the proper dollar amount and my transaction was completed.
February marked my reluctant delve to the other side. Since then I’ve saved hours and have reduced the amount of time spent manually doing transactions to about an hour per week. About the only manual bank transaction I have done recently was near my new store location in Greenfield. I’ve called my vendors only minimally to confirm orders and once for a misplaced order.
Automating tasks using technology can save hours every week if managed properly. Depending on your assessment of the value of your time those hours could equate to hundreds of dollars every week. I’m using my free time and money and investing it into another business location. Though I’ve reduced my workload I still can’t seem to make it home earlier than 8:00PM.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him directly at (978) 413-2840 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)