Adding new technology to your business is always an iffy proposition. Yes you may gain new tools or abilities. New technology allows you to do new things in your business or helps you do old things better or faster.
But there’s always a downside, a cost. And that cost isn’t always financial. Often the learning curve with new technology can be steep. Software or hardware meant to save time and make us more efficient can actually slow us down at first. I know whenever I need to make a change I always pause for a moment to consider if the change is worth it. And even if I decide the change is worth it, there’s still the early pain of the learning curve.
Recently I’ve added two new bits of technology to my business. After much nagging by some (younger) colleagues, I finally installed and set up Skype on my computer. What is Skype? Skype is a free service that allows you to chat (typing) or make audio and video calls to anyone in the world. Calls from Skype user to Skype user are free. There are paid services that allow you to phone land lines and cell phones.
With cheap long distance plans available, why would anyone want to use this service? My friends who’ve been nagging me are actually local and don’t need the audio service. What they like is the chat feature. When they’re working on a joint project, they can send messages to each other about what the next step is. They can add other people to their chat and keep a record of the entire conversation.
Unlike email, which we think of as instantaneous but sometimes can take an hour or more, Skype chat is live. This helps if you’re changing something on the fly. You can make comments and suggestions live.
Skype chat is also helpful if you work unconventional hours. When working with other home-based businesses, you don’t want to phone someone at 5 am or 11 pm in case they – or their family – are sleeping. On the other hand, if I’m on the computer, by checking my contacts list, I can see who is currently online. Then we can do business without bothering the rest of the house.
I have another colleague who uses Skype in a different way. As a home-based entrepreneur, she misses the social aspect of working in an office: the ease of talking through ideas with a co-worker or even just saying “this is driving me crazy”.
To overcome this, she uses Skype to create a virtual co-worker. She and a colleague use the audio feature and let it run in the background while they’re working. They can make brief comments to each other, ask for feedback, or get encouragement to keep working. The phone is not tied up and they can still have the companionship of working in an office.
I have only been using Skype for a few days, but I already love the chat feature. It’s easy, and convenient. And so far the learning curve isn’t too steep. Of course, other than the test run, I haven’t used the audio yet so I may still mess up royally.
Now if I can only figure out how to use my new cell phone.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Have you added new technology to your business? What made you do it? How did it go? Please tell us about your experience by leaving a comment.
