Cell Phones, Technology, and how we do business

[frizbeedog]

The owner of our company used to tell me stories of how it was just him and his dad, carrying around a bunch of quarters to make calls from pay phones. Where have all the pay phones gone?

When I started working for him we had radios hardwired into the trucks and brick phones leashed to the truck by a cord. No mobility.

We've become mobile, with cell phones, PDA's, Laptops....the list goes on.

Could you imagine living without all these devices? And for those of you who were doing this before all these advancements came along, how did you survive without them?

What's next?

What will be the next advancement that makes our lives in business more productive?

Will we really be better off?

What say you?

 

[chris kennedy]

The owner of our company used to tell me stories of how it was just him and his dad, carrying around a bunch of quarters to make calls from pay phones.

Have you thought about devoloping a web site for him?

 

[frizbeedog]

Have you thought about devoloping a web site for him?

We're working on it. :wink:

 

[bikeindy]

Personally I hate them. I don't like that people just think they can call me and I should answer. People walking around driving around in a total different place than where they should be. Our lives have not been made easier, more productive yeah to a degree. But I hate them that is all there is to it for me.

 

[frizbeedog]

Personally I hate them. I don't like that people just think they can call me and I should answer. People walking around driving around in a total different place than where they should be. Our lives have not been made easier, more productive yeah to a degree. But I hate them that is all there is to it for me.

A necessary evil?

 

[480sparky]

Used to be a customer would call the company, and get the secretary.

The secretary would take the name & number, along with pertinent information, and save it.

At the end of the day, the person who needed the information would come in from the job site, and review the calls.

The calls would be organized and acted on. Some would get called that night, others would take a while to get back to.

Ah, the good old days. In some ways, todays' technology is great. Need something right away? Pull the ol' trusty cell off the belt and make a call.

While you're doing that, 4 GCs call you.....

 

[peter d]

I remember waaaaay back in 1998 having to call my bosses pager (from a land line, no less) and tying in "911" as the callback number, meaning "I'm in trouble, I need materials, I need help, etc so get to the jobsite as quickly as possible."

 

[frizbeedog]

Ah, the good old days. In some ways, todays' technology is great. Need something right away? Pull the ol' trusty cell off the belt and make a call.

While you're doing that, 4 GCs call you.....

I seem to lose time on some jobs answering questions, ordering parts or arranging and organizing other jobs, when what I most is just to be able to get in a groove and get the wrenches turning.

More demands on my time? Handy yes, but a distraction sometimes. I'm torn.

 

[Sparky555]

I like that I can bid a job in my truck & get price & availability on special materials from my supplier. I like that I can get to the job by GPS without a map or Mapquest. I like that I can see a P&L in a few seconds on my PC for any time period...and I HATE all the sales calls I get on my phone all day.

Dave

 

[code_compliant]

I say they're great.

I can order online till midnight for a 7:00am delivery without having to talk to someone so I know it's right.

Never lose touch with the wife.....

There are some people I can never get a hold of though....funny thing is they wear their phone on their hip

 

[code_compliant]

I HATE all the sales calls I get on my phone all day.

Dave

You interested in forwarding the excess?

 

[480sparky]

You interested in forwarding the excess?

He's talking about people wanting to sell him stuff. Like a bag of wire nuts for $115.

 

[code_compliant]

He's talking about people wanting to sell him stuff. Like a bag of wire nuts for $115.

That's better.

 

[brantmacga]

I remember waaaaay back in 1998 having to call my bosses pager (from a land line, no less) and tying in "911" as the callback number, meaning "I'm in trouble, I need materials, I need help, etc so get to the jobsite as quickly as possible."

Oh I remember the 'ol '911' on the pager. When I was in HS, I worked in a major department store as part of the DECA program. I needed a manager's help immediately one night, and they all had pagers for us to call them in the store. I called the pager, put my dept. # and '911'. Within minutes, she showed up with all the security guards. I felt like a dum dum.


Back to the topic, I hate cell phones but like someone else said, its a necessary evil. Its good for a guy like me who doesn't have a secretary (my wife has a day job ) so I can field calls. But they can be a real hassle. It always seems to ring when I'm doing something where its almost impossible to free my hands and get the phone. Customers, and me, expect the "right now" way of business. It is convenient to call the supply house from the job, place my order, and have it ready when I get there. Its nice also to be able to call the manufacturer from the jobsite when you have a question about the product you're working on. Being a younger guy, I really can't remember life before cell phones. We had them around my house back in the '80's; I would think if I had to do it the old way, my head may explode.

 

[frizbeedog]

Customers, and me, expect the "right now" way of business.

My question to this is:

Has the "I need it now" way of doing business eliminated our ability (their ability) to plan ahead?

Everything seems to be at our fingertips---an answer when we want it, and now, damn it!

Is this good for us?

Are you more stressed by the technology, or more releived by it?

 

[brantmacga]

Are you more stressed by the technology, or more releived by it?

I think I've experienced both.

 

[frizbeedog]

I think I've experienced both.

More productive?

 

[brantmacga]

More productive?

Without a doubt, yes.

 

[ishium 80439]

The two way radios in the trucks were fairly useful but frustrating as all get out when there was no one in the office to answer it. (anyone else have them hooked to the horn so that if you were in the house and the shop wanted you they could get your attention?)

Pagers were awful. You would almost invariably be in a crawl space when the dreaded 911 would appear. After extricating yourself, finding a phone and calling in it always seemed to be a question like "I'm doing some paper work and need to know how long you were on the Smith job last Friday".

Alpha pagers were a step in the right direction so you could actually judge the importance of the message/ need to call back.

I say cell phones are great. The amount of on the fly productivity is grand. If I had to wait until the end of the day to make my phone calls it would easily add another 2 hours to my work day.

I'm also a big fan of email. I try to do as much correspondence as possible that way. I can send/ recieve info at 5AM or midnight w/o having to worry about the other party's schedule.

With regard to the idea of being too accesible I say don't answer the phone when you are busy. When I'm in a meeting or involved w/ a task that needs my full attention for a certain period of time I leave my phone in the truck. That's what voicemail is for.

With regard to a perceived eroding of planning skills I think that in long run it doesn't matter. The paradigm is changing, to compare it to "the way it used to be" is moot. It's kind of like lamenting the lack of good buggy whip makers now that this new fangled automobile thing is taking over.

 

[adamants]

i hate them

i hate them

i hate cell phones, when i'm trying to work and people keep ringing me up just to book a job instead of calling the shop! i have been fortunate enough to afford a secretary to answer all calls etc, and now try not to advertise my cell no and direct all calls to shop, so i only get a call if it is important.:-?