The 900lb Gorilla

The 900lb Gorilla

There is a 900lb Gorilla in the room, that no one wants to talk about. I believe the reason no one wants to talk about it is the fact that there has not been anything that can be done to correct the issue. That is until FCS set out on our mission.

FCS's mission is inspired by a company that propelled the American Retail Industry by allowing companies large and small with multiple locations to communicate and give them the consistency and information needed to grow with confidence. That company was IBM.

During the 70's IBM had a mission. That mission was to place a device in every business across the US that would allow business owners to access information they needed to make good decisions. They linked these devices and combined the information so companies like Sears and McDonalds could access information the same day it happened. Real time processing allowed these huge entities to see the impact of changes they made in marketing and business models immediately and reinvest with confidence. Invest in a location, monitor, manage, repeat.

Unfortunately, not all of the companies embraced real time processing.....and most of them simply fell along the wayside.

40 years after IBM introduced this revolutionary processing system to the retail and sales industries, service industries like roofing still batch processes from paper data collected from clipboards in the field.

The problem this creates is the first generations of kids who spent their teen years texting, buying music from ITunes, and Googling have graduated from college and are now sitting behind desks. This generation will change the way everything is bought over the next 5 years. They do not want to meet with you, they don't even want to talk to you, and no they don't care about cranes or trucks. They want a vendor that makes it easy for them to buy...at the push of a button, and they want it now. Welcome to the NEW technological generation.

Like it or not, this generation is becoming your customers, and will become more so in the next 5 years. Their position is non-negotiable it is the way they know life to be. Companies in the service industry will evolve and adopt to real time technology or receive a text that you have been replaced. Because of this 900lb Gorilla in the room that everyone knows exists, but no one wants to talk about, is the reason FCS has set out on our Mission. We are the first and only company currently bringing real-time processing technology to the service industry. We are Pioneering this technology, and we believe those who get on board with this Mission will find themselves at the forefront in 5 years from now, those who get on board when they are forced to in 5 years from now will survive but will not be the leaders, and those who refuse to evolve...will simply fall to the wayside.

About FCS FCS has created the first and only real-time technology for the service industry. The technology that has been created is exactly what your future customers will demand of you. To view a quick video demo, or to join one of our weekly Webinars click the links below:

Wednesday Aug. 10th

10:00 AM (CDT) https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/574090038

2:00 PM (CDT) https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/996487206

View our short online demo video: [url] http://fcscontrol.com/inspect_demo.php[/url]

Pretty cool video. Overhead is a huge killer and needs to be looked at closely. As with any new tech, this one not so new is the cost. I remember the resistance to cell phones and yes even computers. There still exists some resistance to them, In my bubble world commercial work is the same. Hand shakes email. Perhaps being around for so long doing this my contacts and trust level is of equal value. I live very well on diversity of opportunities and very friendly. To me the technology puts me in a very sterile environment I don't like. After all it is about liking what you do. Isn't it??? B) :) :) B) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzLB4xAY10Y&feature=related Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

TriTownRoofer Said: I embrace the technology and those that do not we run right over. Harsh words but I couldnt tell you how many times a day I go to estimates and am shown quotes and contracts that are hand written, illegible, very little detail and most surely not binding. Estimates can be sent the same day via email. You can include pictures, diagrams, product lists and information. I mean what is not to like? I consider myself a new generation roofer which coincides with the new generation customer. Our only concern is employees. They say there is 10% unemployment? I have had help wanted ads out there for months with very few inquiries. We offer great wages, private insurance, profit sharing, paid holidays and on and on. This new generation still thinks it can make their money sitting in front of the computer. Someone needs to do the work! If I had a quarter for every new hire that was in their 20s living with mom and using their income to party, showing up sporadically and afraid to sweat I would be rich! These kids spend more energy trying to avoid work then it would take to actually just work.

Video: http://fcscontrol.com/inspect_demo.php

90% of my work is with a handshake or hey Chuck go ahead thru email. That is what being in business in a community of 35000 Close personal and creative. I rarely work for someone who doesn't know me or has come from a strong referral. I like doing business this way. It hasn't always been this way. Through the years you build a customer base with trust and quality work and loyalty. Builds the local community and inspires faith in the contractor customer "relationship" operative word. Trust being the most important element of a quality job. Technology is important. How ever falls far behind and is not even close to first in a long list of attributes required to be successful. Technology is not fairy dust. Buy it and you become successful Not. B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

I embrace the technology and those that do not we run right over. Harsh words but I couldn't tell you how many times a day I go to estimates and am shown quotes and contracts that are hand written, illegible, very little detail and most surely not binding. Estimates can be sent the same day via email. You can include pictures, diagrams, product lists and information. I mean what is not to like? I consider myself a new generation roofer which coincides with the new generation customer. Our only concern is employees. They say there is 10% unemployment? I have had help wanted ads out there for months with very few inquiries. We offer great wages, private insurance, profit sharing, paid holidays and on and on. This new generation still thinks it can make their money sitting in front of the computer. Someone needs to do the work! If I had a quarter for every new hire that was in their 20's living with mom and using their income to party, showing up sporadically and afraid to sweat I would be rich! These kids spend more energy trying to avoid work then it would take to actually just work.

Very good points Tom.Guessing I'm to old(semi retired) to be affected by the future predicted here. I can't open the link so I can only speak from what I'm reading. What they are buying puts it back in the hands of us the professional. The real question for the future in my estimation is can they afford it? The future holds more condensing of population urbanization a thing of the past. The smaller communities are coming back. Talking to people being close is the future. We can see what is and has happened to Detroit and soon Phoenix and Las Vegas. For many reasons this is happening. Read the Article. B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

I tried to view the short free demo video, Nothing, So as before I maintain " It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen" Reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes. I believe at this moment you don't know this business. Technology for what ever it is worth will not replace human interaction on a personal level. Word of mouth. B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

CIAK Said: That 900lbs could be something more along the lines of this. The future is predicted from a current view. Most of the future in the 50s was predicted with most things having huge fins. Why ? Because the world was in love with large fins. This is an interesting article. http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/6336 B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

Excellent point, and very relevant on many fronts...just not this one. The mere fact is that this is not a future prediction. This is a present fact, and as with most anything we will never go back in time to the "old way" of doing things. You will not see people going back to hand-wash their clothes on scouring board, and you will not see people cutting their lawn with a harvesting sickle. No instead we simply see the upgrade from electronic washing machines, to now front loading machines, and from motorized push mowers to riding mowers. What is to come is uncertain but what is NOT to come is very certain. The truth remains in that we live in a world of technology and those who were kids that grew up in this era do not know nor will they ever learn "old school" methods. They will never hand wash clothes, and they will never chop away with a sicle. They WILL use technology and will only increase in that use. These kids WILL and ARE becoming the adults of today, and one way or another we need to meet their needs, or get off their vendor list. I understand and empathize with the harsh reality of the death of "old school", but to ignore that 900lb Gorilla will not make it go away, it will only make US go away.

That 900lb's could be something more along the lines of this. The future is predicted from a current view. Most of the future in the 50's was predicted with most things having huge fins. Why ? Because the world was in love with large fins. This is an interesting article. http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/6336 B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

twill59 Said: The customers who are making $11 an/ hr @ Starbucks, paying back student loans and living w/ Mom & Dad?

Yep those are the kids that are now becoming adults and beginning to sit behind the desks as CEO's and Presidents of corporations. Like it or not they ARE becoming your customers and within 5 years will predominately be your customer...well that is if you get on board with their requirements. If not then they will not be your customer because you will be replaced by those who meet THEIR customers NEEDS.

I know this is a hard reality, but yes time does keep going, and yes these are the facts. It is not about if we need technology to do our work, it is about the customer and what THEY will require.