Probably half the computer software purchased never gets used. It either sits in its shrink-wrapped box on a shelf at home, or maybe it gets loaded into a computer but never called up. Perhaps the buyer uses only a tiny piece of the software program, but never taps its full potential. What a waste.
It’s sad because technology, if used properly, can boost your business to new heights of profit and productivity. Certainly this is what I have discovered at my own company here in Detroit. I never would have been able to reach the pinnacle of success without technology.
Over the years, I’ve developed some strategies for getting the most out of technology. In this chapter, I’ll outline a few of them. Follow them and you’ll do more than get the most from your computer, software, wireless devices, videoconferencing systems, and other technologies. You’ll also find yourself steadily rising in the ranks of your profession:
1.
The first model introduced may stink, but improved versions follow quickly. This works across a variety of technologies. Consider videoconferencing systems. Videoconferencing technology has been around for nearly half a century, but developers encountered a host of bottlenecks that prevented it from becoming a practical technology. The video was fuzzy and choppy, phone lines did not have the bandwidth to carry massive amounts of audio and video data, and the systems were bulky, clunky, expensive, and highly unreliable. Now, even small businesses can afford to purchase high-quality, reliable, and user-friendly video conferencing systems, such as those offered by Face to Face Live (
www.f2fl.com). I can now run my business in Washington Township, Michigan, and speak face to face with my operations manager who happens to live in Laguna Beach, California, just by placing a call.
Had I given up on videoconferencing because the first systems were expensive and hard to use, I would never have enjoyed the many improvements that have come along since.
2.
Any technology has more than one use, so learn them all. Take, for example, all the new features that phone companies offer. Many people use only a couple available features, such as voice mail, and never explore some of the more high-end features, such as call forwarding. They may not even use voice mail to its full potential. Here are some ways to make the most of your phone system(s) and other communication tools:
• Use voicemail as a proactive tool. Many top salespeople change their greetings every morning. This lets callers know that you are in the office and interested in their calls.
• Use call forwarding to have phone calls automatically forwarded to your cell phone when you are on sales calls.
• Consider using a service that forwards voice calls to you via e-mail, so you can have on-demand access to your voice mail through your e-mail program.
• Purchase a wireless device, such as a Blackberry or iPhone, to handle all of your communication needs, including voice calls and e-mail.
• Learn to send and receive text messages on your cell phone, so you can more effectively communicate with clients who prefer this method of keeping in touch.
• Call your phone company about the availability of an interactive toll-free system. Callers can browse through a menu or order products, such as my customer guides to buying a home. On the system I use at my office, callers can ask for information about mortgage loans, and the employee in charge of my mortgage operation will be paged immediately. He can return the call within moments. I can also use the system to weigh the effectiveness of my advertising because callers key in a code that they’ve seen in a given ad.
3. Sometimes the best technology purchase is more of the same thing. I have several computers working for me at once. One is connected to the Internet at all times, sending and receiving e-mail, searching for and downloading the latest news and reports, and making sure my web sites and blogs are up to date. Another keeps track of my calendar and contacts, so I never miss an important meeting or event. The other is set up for doing word processing. I can quickly pivot on my office chair from one computer to the other without missing a beat. As long as you learn how to use the technology to perform practical tasks rather than getting caught up in the technology itself, the more technology you have, the more efficient you become. Change is accelerating, and I want to stay on top of it.
4.
Older technologies sometimes are best. Consider the telephone. Far too many people have become overly reliant on other communications technologies, including e-mail and text messaging. Children and adolescents are growing up with these new technologies and honing their text-based communications skills, which is excellent, but more and more of them are experiencing the limitations of this mode of communication. They have to learn that text messaging is more literal—it often fails to convey the context and the feeling behind the message—which often leads to misunderstandings.
I still find myself picking up the phone and calling people rather than relying solely on e-mail, particularly when I need to resolve a sensitive issue. To me, this old communications technology is light years beyond the newer technologies, simply because it allows people to remain human and communicate on a more personal level. Of course, I am relying more and more on my videoconferencing system because it enables me to communicate not only verbally but also through my gestures and facial expressions.
I also still rely on voice recorders to take notes and compose memos, but now, instead of using my old Dictaphone, I use a digital recorder, which also comes with speech-recognition software that can help translate my spoken words into text.
5. The best technology is one you use. Don’t be like the people who can’t figure out how to record TV shows, never upgrade their software, or leave their computer back at the office. If you don’t use it, why buy it in the first place? If you put all your technology to the very best use, you’ll find your sales and income soaring.