Every now and then I come across a business which is utilizing technology in interesting ways. Whistler Wired, a local tour business, is one of those. Run by Martin Kraut and Nathan McLeod, now in their 7th year of business, I asked if I could showcase their business as a topic for this column. As I sat with Martin at his tidy home office for this interview, he appeared casual and relaxed sitting at his cockpit-like desk, the nerve-centre of Whistler Wired. At age 30, he is already a business veteran, and he knows a thing or two. Here is my report.
TechBabble: What made you think technology could enhance your business? Martin Kraut: We started with one computer and 2 cell phones. We knew we needed these core tools to start operating. We have upgraded at least 5 times, and now we have 2 desktop computers, a laptop and 2 PDA’s (with built in cell phones), mine is a Palm Treo 650 and Nathan uses a Blackberry. Of all these tools, the cell phone is still the most vital in this type of business. I even have a pay-as-you-go backup cell phone.
TechBabble: You use Outlook for scheduling and contacts, GPS to monitor the movement of your limousines, PDA’s to keep your schedules portable, and your website as your primary marketing tool. What is the specific reasoning behind each of these aids? Kraut: We keep our Outlook data on a public server for a monthly fee. This frees us from worrying about backing up, and it also gives us the ability to access our data from any computer anywhere. The PDA’s also give us a secondary form of backup and offsite access to data. The GPS allows us to record mileage and other data without the need for excessive paperwork, and it also allows us to track the movements of our trucks, thereby protecting our investment. The website, well this is a vital marketing element to this type of business and is indispensable.
TechBabble: Do you believe you could have built this business without these technologies? Kraut: Yes, but not nearly as efficiently. The essence of a business, any business, is relationship-building. The tools we use are primarily contact and communications tools. Communications technology has given us the ability to enhance and accelerate this relationship-building process. We can also accurately record what has been said, and schedule upcoming events and meetings accurately and instantly.
TechBabble: Of all the technology tools you use, which would you give up first? Kraut (looking stunned at this prospect): Well, I guess it would be the handheld PDA’s, because the core information database is Outlook; the PDA’s make Outlook portable, which is very handy, but Outlook is still the key. The loss of my PDA would be awful, but I guess we could get by without. The cell phone is still the most effective tool for getting things done, I would even venture to say ten times more effective than email.
TechBabble: How important is self discipline, and does technology replace discipline?
Kraut: Procrastination is like masturbation; in the beginning it seems like a good idea, but in the end you are only screwing yourself (laughs). Discipline is vital, and I am very disciplined about data collection, task lists, schedules and appointments. I save every business card and enter it into Outlook. New ideas go into Outlook. Even skiing and dating are scheduled into Outlook. I carry a notepad and pen in every jacket I own, just in case. Every day I create tasks and every day I prioritize and execute the tasks on my list. Technology only assists in this process, it does not replace it.
Note: If your business utilizes interesting technology and you would like to be the topic of this column, please contact me for an interview.
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