I just got off the phone with a potential client. He's been driving a truck for many years but is very unsure about his computer skills. He just feels uneducated or inferior to everyone else.
And, you know what? Don't worry. That's okay because we meet everyone right where they are at.
Let's say that you are college educated with very, very good computer skills. (I get a number of these types). Well, we talk about some possible computer applications if they have an interest in that. And we usually have no problem discussing our MSExcel spreadsheets that we provide to manage your loads.
Then I get some who just have no experience at all with learning new computer applications. We usually point them to a really inexpensive book where they can record all their financial transactions. The book has preprinted forms and it's a breeze. There is no need to learn any accounting software.
And for the MSExcel spreadsheets, we give some instruction on the spreadsheet itself. Then we encourage newbies to seek out a college kid to sit down for an hour or so to learn some of the basics. You don't have to learn everything there is to learn about MSExcel to learn how to use it as a freight broker.
We also encourage people to go to a computer center at their local community college. Usually the monitor is sitting there bored to death. Just ask him or her if they could help you with a couple of things. They will be so grateful and they wouldn't entertain the thought of you paying them.
So, where ever you are at - we will meet you there. And we will take you one step at a time, further and further toward your goals.
It's great that you make it a point to meet your clients where they are. An accounting software is a great help for a business, but yes, not everyone has computer skills to utilize one. Yes, it is definitely an advantage for an individual to learn how to use the computer for certain purposes.
Posted by: Jamie Shellman | January 16, 2012 at 08:05 AM