STEP 2 - A CONVERSATION (saying it is faster than writing it)

Us (Red) | You (Blue)

Do you use a computer(s) in your sales or service business?

“Of course we do. We use it to record transactions: sales; work completed; billings sent; payments received”…

How is the computer better than the old methods?

“Well, for one thing, speed. The computer processes the information about sales or services completed into billing faster than the old way did.”

True.

How does the information get from the salesperson or order taker or from the work crew to the computer?

“Well, the salespeople fill out the order form or the work crews fill out the completion part of the job order and these forms are turned in to the office or to me at the end of the day and we get them entered into the computer.”

When?

“If the workload isn’t too heavy, the very next day.”

Sounds like quite a bit of non-billable time is being spent on writing (or keying in on a lap-top or hand-held) to record information. The time is being spent by people whose time could be better $pent at the next $ales call or $ervice job.

Wouldn’t it be better if the salesperson or service crew leader could just call in (by speed-dialing cell phone) the pertinent information and do it on the way to the next sales call or job?

And wouldn’t it be even better if there was a computer system on the other end of that call waiting to enter the information immediately? That way, you could receive a report on everything that was happening, wherever you were, at the end of that day. If you’re the impatient type you could get the to-the-moment information at any time by calling and asking.

“Yeah, that sounds pretty good…it also sounds expensive.”

It isn’t. Expensive that is.

Step 3 - Learn What We Do