Businesses utilizing the internet

I had a technology conversation with an owner (?) of Copper Creek Mercantile in Keizer late yesterday morning. His hesitancy to fully embrace this new tech-age was evident as he talked about their recent upgrade to a new computer system. The first person they had hired 6 months ago to install their new computer system, was experienced enough to take them right up to configuration and set-up. From there on the tech continued even though he didn't really know what he was doing.

After 6 months of what sounded like tech misery, they found someone else with the know how. He came in and undid the damage, configured their system and has begun to complete the set-up to allow all employees to communicate with each other electronically and keep inventory--all in two days. Six months?! I can see how someone could become soured with modernizing their system under those circumstances.

I can't even remember how we began to talk about blogs. Maybe I mentioned belonging to a local blogging community. He said it's something that he's interested in, but isn't convinced that it has enough value compared to the effort. Plus, he's concerned about slanderous comments tainting his image in the community. I did my best to encourage, telling him that many local businesses have entered the blog world to communicate with customers. That he could choose whether to post once a week or once a day and to think of it as a seasonal conversation with the people who enter his store each day. And I assured him that he would be in control of what comments were published.

He likes the everyday human contact and I understand. He wouldn't be giving that away after all. He'll still have the opportunity carry your heavy bags out to your car and to carefully listen and advise about your pets or your pests. He's good at that.