We're turning into Robots?

[Ed Valentine]

Our "high-tech" world is changing the way people are surely doing business today. Some things may be great advances while others seem as if a step backwards. And, some ways may be just the way we see them in our eyes as we continue to advance in age.

We now can order just about anything on-line thus eliminating (or reducing) many outlet stores and employment for thousands and thousands. Convenient for us; but good for others as well as business? I can see this putting the smaller businesses out to pasture thus, eliminating competition which has a tendency to raise prices.

I can see major Banks closing all their branches and only having one main location remain open. Their customers will be required to do all their banking business on line or visit this main office to punch computers on the wall (self-serve).

If you have a operational problem with your lawn & garden tractor, you go on-line and pull up the Trouble Shooting page, and fingers crossed, the solution is right in front of you. If not, too bad, just purchase another tractor and be done with it.

The other day, I had to call American Express about some monthly charges which they were mistakenly debiting from our account. Hummm, after countless promps (no human voice)and 1 1/2 hours later (!!!) finally concluded my mission.

We already have self check out lines; self-this, and self-that. Who will we be able to speak with?
A couple sitting across from each other next to my wife and I at a local restaurant were texting their friends and each other (!!), laughing & giggling............but with little verbal conversation.

What do you think will happen to your Industry in the future? Self cleaning robots moving around the carpeting? Less personal contact up front with more communication via web page bookings?

Well, think I'll text the local restaurant with a lunch order and pick it up at the window with the mechanical arm!

best to all;
Ed Valentine

 

[smastio]

Sounds like Ted Kaczynski is writing from prison again. Long live the manifesto! I'd be less concerned about present technology and more concerned about the direct of our own government!

 

[Ed Valentine]

Steve;

"........and more concerned about the direct of our own government! "

Truer words were never spoken for sure! But, that's another topic that would fill Mikey board, Wall-to-Wall!!!! And that might be prohibited.

Best always;
Ed Valentine
cross-American corp.

 

[Mikey P]

A service as unique as ours can never be replaced..




I hope.

 

[smastio]

A service as unique as ours can never be replaced..
I hope.

I tend to agree... People will always need service. It's just might morph as to its delivery more in the future. Just ask your local travel agent down the road. As long as things continue to break or need cleaning, I think you're good to go.

 

[jcooper]

We already have self check out lines

That bug the crap out of me! I don't want to scan my flipping groceries!

 

[The Great Oz]

I tend to agree... People will always need service. It's just might morph as to its delivery more in the future. Just ask your local travel agent down the road. As long as things continue to break or need cleaning, I think you're good to go.

I like being able to avoid interaction with the typical video store clerk, the typical checkstand cashier, the typical carpet salesman... but only because typical is a poorly trained short-timer. If a job required so little skill that it could be automated I wouldn't want it either.

Unfortunately the companies that won't train their employees also cheap out on their "automated customer service." I think this is one of the driving forces behind buying local and the success of companies like Etsy.

 

[Jim Martin]

A service as unique as ours can never be replaced..




I hope.

you can train a monkey to do what we do........this is one of the biggest low-tech brain dead jobs out there...................

 

[Mikey P]

clean a average carpet yes.


Charm housewives to the point that next time they leave an unsigned check on the counter and leave the back door open?


No chimp can do that.

 

[Torrey Express]

I hope I can always keep personal contact with my family and friends. Everyone else, the more disconnected and technologically segregated the better for me. I generally don't like the public. The ratio of trash and scum balls to decent humans is becoming overwhelming. You never know when someone's about to open fire on the crowd or be a victim of some mugger.

I remeber many years ago asking my former boss/mentor why people would have us build a 2-3 million dollar home on a tiny half acre lot that they can't even fish their lake in the back?.. He told me they are buying their neighbors really. Made alot of sense.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

clean a average carpet yes.


Charm housewives to the point that next time they leave an unsigned check on the counter and leave the back door open?


No chimp can do that.

You fall for that often?

 

[Ken Snow]

I hope I can always keep personal contact with my family and friends. Everyone else, the more disconnected and technologically segregated the better for me. I generally don't like the public. The ratio of trash and scum balls to decent humans is becoming overwhelming. You never know when someone's about to open fire on the crowd or be a victim of some mugger.

I remeber many years ago asking my former boss/mentor why people would have us build a 2-3 million dollar home on a tiny half acre lot that they can't even fish their lake in the back?.. He told me they are buying their neighbors really. Made alot of sense.

I 100% disagree- I believe 99% of the population is nice and just trying to live their lives. That includes 99% of the people in the Pontiac hood where I do animal service work. They are very poor, but kind people.

 

[Torrey Express]

I 100% disagree- I believe 99% of the population is nice and just trying to live their lives. That includes 99% of the people in the Pontiac hood where I do animal service work. They are very poor, but kind people.

99%, yea maybe. Problem is I find that the 1% are the loudest and most obnoxious of the bunch.

Like our state fair. Really neat to see the event, and maybe 99/100 of the patrons are "nice" but good grief around every corner there's some loud freak that looks like they are gonna start a fight... They cops so thick in these places you'd think there was a terrorist threat.

Kinda like religion. The most acceptable people to it are the very pool and meager or some of the higher class and Wealthy .
The lower to upper middle class is a dying breed and are apethetic in most cases I see.

I feel horrible writing that out because I like to be upbeat and not dwell on the negative, but the point of this thread is about the personal separation of humans because of technology. So with that in mind, I do prefer to separate myself from many scenarios that can be skirted by online purchasing or ordering.

Instead of fighting huge lines at the local mall, inevitably seeing road rage, spending hours of my day fighting lines and generally wasting money being advertised to with assault like bombardment. I'd rather key in my order on amazon and go fishing with my kids, or ride my Harley through winding roads in southern Indianas Forrest.

I really enjoy quality time with quality people, and some of the new technology can help me cut loose the errands that take away from that. That's all I meant really.

 

[Hoody]

You fall for that often?

clean a average carpet yes.


Charm housewives to the point that next time they leave an unsigned check on the counter and leave the back door open?


No chimp can do that.

I beg to differ El Capitan

 

[Art Kelley]

Our "high-tech" world is changing the way people are surely doing business today. Some things may be great advances while others seem as if a step backwards. And, some ways may be just the way we see them in our eyes as we continue to advance in age.

We now can order just about anything on-line thus eliminating (or reducing) many outlet stores and employment for thousands and thousands. Convenient for us; but good for others as well as business? I can see this putting the smaller businesses out to pasture thus, eliminating competition which has a tendency to raise prices.

I can see major Banks closing all their branches and only having one main location remain open. Their customers will be required to do all their banking business on line or visit this main office to punch computers on the wall (self-serve).

If you have a operational problem with your lawn & garden tractor, you go on-line and pull up the Trouble Shooting page, and fingers crossed, the solution is right in front of you. If not, too bad, just purchase another tractor and be done with it.


What do you think will happen to your Industry in the future? Self cleaning robots moving around the carpeting? Less personal contact up front with more communication via web page bookings?



best to all;
Ed Valentine

It's all good Ed. There is an inexorable march to efficiency in all aspects of commerce. The market will determine the winners and losers (as it always does). New businesses with new operating models will emerge to replace those that don't serve their customers. That will be true in banking or lawn service equipment providers or carpet cleaning companies. There will always be a place for those who are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. Convenience and value will continue to be the dominant characteristics of the winners in our free capitalistic system, and the dead weight will be, well, they can move to Canada. It's nice there in August.

 

[FredC]

self check out...who will we speak to? That cute bored chick with the piercings and tats watching over what would normally take 6 employees...........IF there is some F up with the machine

I LOVE scanning/bagging my own groceries.............ESPECIALLY if I have to shop during the week programs get funded


I dread going to a place without self check unless I'm shopping for the zombie apocalypse..........


and...since I said it:

normally take 6 employees.

I'm not a big believer in creating jobs just to employ people ..........there is a reason some high school drop out isn't pumping my gas for me...and it isn't because I don't live in NJ or OR...........