In the January 2022 Challenge, things lost to the Internet, we are asked to reflect and write about what we have experienced as the biggest change the internet brought to our business both in the way we do business and the way our clients do business with us.
It seems I’ve been around since shortly after the dinosaurs disappeared.
I am among the generation that made the transition from a typewriter to an electric typewriter. Everything that evolved thereafter brings us to where we are today.
Of course, that technology is used in a variety of ways to access the Internet in terms of some form of keyboard.
I’ve seen so many changes in my lifetime I had to do some research on when the Internet came about. There was a lot to read and a lot to learn, I’m going with the official birthday of the Internet, January 1, 1983. [source History.com]
That means, 39 years ago today.
I received my real estate license on January 18, 2003. This month I will complete 19 full-time years working as a real estate professional.
As I reflect back, speaking of "lost", given that I lack a sense of direction, the first and most important way the Internet changed the way I do business is with GPS. I paid over $3,000 to have it installed in my car. I no longer needed to map out buyer tours which prior to installing GPS in my vehicle, I used the Internet to do.
While I do know my way to San Jose, and my way around San Jose, I was challenged to know the best logical, time-saving route. It was not uncommon to show 10 properties on a tour. Mapping out a tour meant avoiding switching back and forth across town. Factoring which homes were vacant, which homes would be open, and which homes needed an appointment meant that there were times the last showing of the day took us back to where we started. It could not be avoided. I programmed the GPS with all of the addresses and off we went.
Today I have built-in GPS in my newer vehicle and even though we have GPS with our smartphones, the GPS in my vehicle is what I primarily use because I can drive and also see a much larger map on the dashboard.
The advantage of our smartphone GPS telling us step by step how to get to our desired location is we no longer need to type or program anything. We just ask and it is given.
Other ways the Internet and technology changed the way I do business are with the speed at which communications are made, in real-time. We can send an email or text and without delay, the message is sent.
The downside to this is that many people expect a response just as quickly.
Younger generations do not know what dial-up was like. Most of us were patient as we waited to get online, and we were thankful to have it. Imagine having to wait to get connected to the Internet. Today we get instant access.
I am spoiled with the speed of the Internet. As mentioned in the book, we have lost many things to the Internet. It is unlikely we will see the return of the many things we have lost.
Internet technology and living with many devices that keep us “connected” are here to stay.
The real question is: Are we really connected or has technology in many ways disconnected us from more of a human, personal, touch?
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