We've Come A Long Way, Baby!

Today, I am sitting on my living room couch enjoying pure chaos around me.  My 13 year old niece is visiting from Texas and watching her with my kids is pure joy.  What, time with the family??  But IT IS A WORK DAY!!

Ah, this takes me back to the days where I was completely overwhelmed managing 200+ transactions a year, dragging paper files back and forth from the office to home because there just weren't enough hours in the work day.  I spent my "home" time cooped up in my office yelling down stairs for every one to "keep it down".  Why could they have any fun if I was chained to my desk??

I made two major changes in my operations. 

One, we implemented an online transaction management system.  It took some time and a lot of work, but implementing SureClose and converting our files to paperless was the best decision we ever made.  I cannot tell you how effective it is to sit at a client's home or to meet them at Starbucks and be able to pull up their entire file to review it with them.  I can answer any question at any time on any file.  By the way, we now process 400+ transactions a year.  That is right, we doubled our production and cut our costs in half!

Secondly, I got a tablet PC.  By using the online transaction management system, my entire office is contained on my tablet PC.  I don't have to go to my office any more, at all.  If I need a signature from a client, I can go to them, pull the document from their online transaction, have them sign it on my tablet, and send it where it needs to go.  No paper, no office, no worries.

So, today is a work day.  I am working.  Lots of phone calls, tons of emails, plenty of IMs.  I still work crazy hours.  But, I am much happier.  Our quality of work is amazing.  I am also the undisputed Guitar Hero Champion in our ongoing family tournament. 

Oh, it is my turn in the "down the stairs sleeping bag derby"...gotta go, wish me luck!