ONE QUESTION WE asked in The Big Survey 2019 was this: “What tech innovation or app has had the biggest positive impact on your life as a time-starved business owner?”
Here were the top 10 most valuable tech innovations to jewelers in our survey.
Unsurprisingly, mobile and remote technology captured seven of the 10 spots, as they allow business owners to accomplish tasks from wherever they may be, in speedy fashion.
Here’s what some of our readers had to say about why they chose particular technologies as most valuable.
- Email on my phone and text messaging. While it can be too much and annoying, I sell more stuff to friends and customers via text than I ever dreamed I would. Guys don’t like to shop, and if you know their significant other, they love it if you can do it for them.
- The smartphone. We put it off for years before we got one; now I don’t know how we can do business without it.
- The innovations of The Edge software system in letting you know “where you are” with your business very quickly.
- Texting and emailing customers estimates and information instead of phone calls. I can do these in the evening and not during those precious working hours.
- Wax printing. Even though I am a very competent sculptor, there is much to be said for getting the wax printer to make things while you barbeque some dinner.
- The ability to order/reorder from vendors online to keep best sellers in inventory.
- Alexa. I love that I can tell her what song I am feeling like and it plays right then.
- Bank innovations that allow me to pay online, transfer money, set up auto-pay. I used to write a lot of checks!
- Podium. The ability to directly communicate with our customers in a non-spam way has changed a lot of the way we do business, especially custom and repairs. It is expensive, but in our minds, it has been worth it.
- Online grocery ordering apps that let you place the order for a particular time, drive in, and have it delivered to your car. No more walking through the grocery store with a list. love it.
- My iPhone. Everything is at my fingertips. This is especially important now that I find that as I get older, I can’t spell anymore.
- Ipevo camera at each employee’s desk, so every inventory item has a photo. Inexpensive and high quality.
- GoToMyPC to access my computer and server from anywhere in the world.
- iPad Pro! It has revolutionized our custom process. I can either draw up a design from scratch, or for custom shadow bands, I take a photo of their existing piece and then draw right on the photo digitally for a great visual. I do it right in front of the clients and they are always wowed by the technology.
- Grubhub for sure. I love getting home and having a hot meal made by someone else ready to eat.