Longing for simpler, technology-free times?
It feels like the world is moving faster every day, and we’re all just trying to keep up. Many of us on the hamster wheel who remember decades-past, long for the simpler times that we’ve known. Was it better? While we can accomplish more in a day now than we used to in a week, we can also feel overwhelmed, less connected and under more pressure than ever before.
Life back then was still busy - it really was - but we knew how things worked. Records and tapes to listen to music, telephones to communicate, filing cabinets filled with hard-copies, and letters written – typed for business and hand-written for personal messages. Things often took longer and some things were truly hard, but it was more tactile, and there was always a human touch.
Now, there’s something new every day. New technology that is harder to keep up with and changing faster than we can learn it. Wireless everything, information held in clouds, a never-ending list of passwords and passkeys to keep track of, and now the great uncertainty of AI taking everything away from us.
What about the gains of the modern world?
While it’s easy to get caught up in reminiscing, and there is much to be said for doing things ‘the old-fashioned way’, we can’t hang on forever and we can’t forget the tremendous strides that technology has allowed us to make. Data is clearer and more precise, we carry a phone/computer/camera/GPS/music streamer in our hands, transactions are instant and calculators are a thing of the past. Some may need to lean on today’s youth to help decipher it, but that has always been the way.
So, what’s better - new or old ways and how does this affect my business?
A worry for entrepreneurs jumping into a new business is if they will be able to keep up with the changes, the pace, and the technology. If you are over in your middle years it can be a scary leap to get yourself up-to-speed on systems AND learn how to run the business at the same time.
It’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Others have done it and been successful, so this is do-able.
- Being an entrepreneur involves taking leaps. Some big and some small.
- To give you a head start, try learning as much as you can about the tools that you will be using before embarking on a new business, and keep at it.
- Break it into doable steps and continue learning at your own pace. Online courses abound, and you will feel more confident once that first bit of knowledge is under your belt.
- The learning curve is just that…tougher to start, but then a quick curve up to valuable knowledge that can take you further than ever before. You’ll get there.
- You can get help. Find people to guide you through the overwhelming spots, whether it is another business owner, a member of your team, professional business advisors or a family member.
- Get involved in business groups. They can be helpful sounding boards.
- Modernize, but don’t forget that the personal touch remains vital to a vast number of businesses. Don’t overlook it as it can still be the final key to your success. That part of the good old days hasn’t changed.
We now have efficiencies and productivity that we could never have imagined, and more business opportunities have become available than ever in the modern world.
Technology is a useful tool, but it can make the human side even more important. Not all businesses are alike, so some will need more speed and flash while others need more human touch. You’ll need to find the right balance for your business and for yourself.
So, what is the right balance?
While we can look back fondly on the old ways, we can’t go back, and we can’t allow ourselves to let it consume us. A filing cabinet full of documents just isn’t efficient, and being realistic, hand-done paperwork was time-consuming and not much fun.
So, to some extent we can let go of that era, but all the while remembering that our high-paced world still needs the human touch, and this is likely to be even more true as AI advances. The more technology and especially AI advance, the more people will look for human communication.
Each of us needs to strike a balance between tradition and technology. Some businesses do well with an automated receptionist or none at all – while some have gone too far. Others still need a person on the other end of the line for credibility, problem-solving and a sense of care.
How do you know?
Not all businesses or services are alike so it will be up to you to feel it out. Your business will tell you how much of each it needs. Success means that you got it right and your customers will instantly let you know if you need to shift the balance.
Know your market. A clothing store or restaurant designed for a young audience may be a hit with online offers, home delivery, and robots performing customer service, while seniors will still prefer the human touch in services.
Start by choosing something that feels right for you and your personality. Don’t get into a customer-service-heavy industry if you don’t enjoy personal interactions and don’t jump into a technology-only business that doesn’t post a phone number if you’re a people person. Either way, be prepared to take some leaps. Being bold and learning the technology to take scheduling, payroll and repetitive office work off your hands will free you up for making those important personal connections that we still count on.
Final thoughts
The key is neither mourning the past nor throwing yourself in into the deep end of technology. It is knowing the balance that both you and your business require.
There’s nothing wrong with a hand-written personal note or human answering the phone. In fact, you’ll find that it becomes more appreciated the rarer it becomes. There is also nothing wrong with technology that will increase your efficiencies, streamline your business and allow you time for other important roles.
Once you find the balance, hang on to those memories, but be bold enough to accept enough modernization to create time to focus on the personal touch that many businesses now lack, but very much still need.