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Loading ...Small Business Owner and Technophobia
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Small business owners, especially sole proprietors, are very experienced in wearing many hats in managing their business - marketing and promotion, accounting and bookkeeping, administration and office management, and many other business management activities.
Of course, I insist you to start delegating and/or outsourcing, but I learn from some of my colleagues that ‘total control’ in running a business is bliss :)
One caveat that I also learn from my colleagues by going solo is you hardly can keep up with the technological advances, that are supposedly helping you running your business smoothly.
Why? Obviously, lack of time is the main culprit. The other reason - again, it’s all about mindset.
Techno phobic small business owner
Unfortunately, some of the business owners are suffering from technophobia symptoms.
Technophobia is basically a dislike, even fear, of technology. Some say that the fear is irrational, and other say that the fear can be justified.
Nevertheless, with the lack of time and the mindset that technology is no longer fun and helpful, some business owners do suffer technophobia-like symptoms.
For example, did you know that a Logitech universal remote can control a televisions, satellite or cable box, DVD player, video recorder, digital media player, TiVo or other PVR, game console, amplifier, stereo, or even a PC or home automation setup?
If this information overwhelms you, you are about to going techno phobic, if you don’t change your mindset.
Technology is here to help you, not to scare you
Some do afraid that if they can’t keep up with the technology, they can’t compete against other businesses. Some do afraid that the technology will make their work more difficult. Some other simply can’t cope with the pressure of keeping up with the technology advances.
In my opinion, all coming back to your mindset - tools, such as online backup service, help you securing your business vital information, as well as letting you to focus on other more important things in running your business.
How to avoid being a techno phobic
I’m not a doctor or psychologist, so I can’t offer you medication or therapy to take to help you avoid being a technophobia.
However, I do have a tip or two on how to cope with the lightning quick technology advances, as I’m not keen on gadget and technology myself:
- Find information that aggregate or summary tech tools or updates, such as, if you would like to utilise your Firefox web browser more, start searching for top extensions for Firefox articles or blog posts.
- Follow one or two technology and gadget blogs, such as TechCrunch or GadgetAdvisor, that updates you with the latest news on technology and gadget world.
- Don’t overwhelm you with the tools you don’t need. If you feel Blackberry is better as a fruit than as a gadget, don’t use it - Some people I know only use about 5 per cent of the real ability of Blackberry, anyway.
- If you think paper and pencil is better than a Tablet PC or PDA, then stick to what work best for you - gadgets are suppose to be helpful, not to burden you or even slow you down.
Last but not least, know this: Tech tools and gadgets are useful if and only if you need it - other than that, treat those information as a knowledge, not a burden.
Some people own gadgets for prestige, not function, so it’s no reason for you to feel uncompetitive with them.
Ivan Widjaya
Tech updated, tech tools user noob
Image by iLoveButter.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Sarah 10.23.08 at 10:14 pm
Frankly, technophobia is nothing to fear at all. Yes, your small business should delegate, because it is difficult to keep up. But look outside the box when delegating!
Think: stay-at-home moms/dads. According to a 2004 CBS news article, the 2000 census revealed that 15% more moms are staying at home than in the previous census. Many of them are well-educated, and would love the opportunity to supplement their income. They want and enjoy the technical challenges, because it keeps them in touch with the main-stream, making them marketable for a future employment.
That said, realize that as a business owner, many of your technophobia problems can be contracted for a fraction of the cost of hiring another employee or contracting with an established company. For example, maybe you need your webpage updated regularly, or data entered into a spreadsheet, or follow up phone calls. There are plenty of moms/dads who that don’t want a full time job, but have administrative and computer skills you need. They would be happy to do this for you on their own computer at home. Plus, they typically use their own equipment, which saves business owners even more.
Because of the caliber of the stay-at-home moms and dads, the work they do is quite comparable, if not better because of the personalization of the job.
Noobpreneur 10.24.08 at 6:28 pm
Sarah,
Thanks for your opinion!
I am a work-at-home dad by choice - being near with my family, and I am SO productive working at home - it’s weird to most and against the mainstream opinion, really :)
Indeed, your fear for tech can be supplemented (or suppressed?) by outsourcing to other.
I really look into your opinion about hiring fellow ‘work-at-homer’ simply because we share the same passion for work at the comfort of our home.
Thanks for your valuable insight!
Sarah 10.30.08 at 8:57 pm
Noobprenenuer,
I think that businesses often fear using a person who, maybe in their mind “loafs around the house”. I think they don’t trust the quality of the work that can be performed, and the fact that a company reputation or insurance is not backing the work. Perhaps it is for these reasons that small businesses do not contract with those who are at home.
It is unfortunate, because outsourcing to folks who work from home is a win-win situation in many cases. I think the key for stay at home moms/dads is to build relationships with small business owners. As relationships build, so does trust for both parties. The work-from-home individual, in the mean time, has hopefully gained some understanding of the particular needs that business has, while the business owners become more comfortable with the skills exhibited in the individual. This makes it easier for the work-from-home individual to approach the owners with an offer that is hard to refuse. Having an established relationship will help to erase the need for overly formal contracts.
Noobpreneur 10.30.08 at 9:18 pm
Sarah,
All is coming back to relationship, I guess…
A big plus, from my experience, working from home is the perceived value of ‘affordable’ :)
Thanks for your opinion!