Overcoming Your Trouble With Technology

Jan 13, 2021, 3:12 PM

According to auto research firm IMR, a third of independent auto repair shops in a 2019 survey said their biggest challenge is staying up to date with technology in their industry. Their second-biggest challenge is a lack of good technicians, who are in part missing the technology skills they should have.

You’ve probably seen the value of technology when you’ve brought your car into an auto shop or even for an oil change — staff there aren’t just refilling fluids and changing parts, they’re consulting computers to make sure vehicles are operating correctly.

The need to stay up to date on technology isn’t limited to the car repair business, either. Whether it’s more efficient ways to ship supplies or simply the latest version of your bookkeeping software, every company uses computers in some way. So how do you keep your tech know-how current? 

Find resources online

Chances are you already search the internet for information about your industry. Next time, look for websites that are updated every week or even every day. Bookmark them and make it a habit to look at each site on a regular basis. They’ll keep track of all the trends for you and call out what’s crucial to know as a hot news item or the topic of a blog post.

Check social media sites, too. Even if you don’t want to wade into a conversation on Facebook or chat on Twitter, they’re great places to learn more about what’s new and happening now.

Web training

You probably use videos as part of your training materials, both for people coming into the business and for experienced workers looking for a refresher. Video is popular for people looking to learn about your business, too. An online technology company found more than half of everyone online watched two or more instructional videos each week. That’s everything from making cookies to building a house with your bare hands — and it’s also how to make a video to promote your company’s products and services. Sometimes the best learning is done hands-on.

We have some recommendations for creating videos, images, and online written material for you in our “Marketing Minute” series right here on the Hastings Mutual website. Here’s our most recent Marketing Minute. It follows some of the guidelines that will help your video get more views and hopefully result in more business — it’s short, packed with information, and enjoyable to watch. 

You know the latest on your field of business is found online, no matter what kind of work you do. Just a few minutes a day of searching the internet and watching videos can be all you need to stay up to date.

Questions? Let me know in the comments.

The Mutual Understanding blog and Hastings Mutual videos are made available for educational purposes only. The information referred to is not an official company statement, corporate policy, or offer of coverage. Refer to your insurance policy for specific coverage. There is no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any information found by following any link on this site. Please contact your local independent insurance agent with further questions and for more details on any insurance policy-related information you read here.

© 2021 Hastings Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.