I will openly and unashamedly confess to being a “tooloholic.” I can feel the adrenaline kick in when I look for something that will save me time, reduce my workload and increase my efficiency for a reasonable price. I’d rather walk down the aisle of a good hardware store looking at tools than any tricked up shopping mall on the planet. Hardware stores are a comfort zone and, for the record, they smell better.
However, not all tools are found in hardware stores.
However, not all tools are found in hardware stores. In recent years, a tool has made its way into our lives that has put a lot of options in front of us. At first, the cell phone simply allowed us to go outside to talk on the phone. That was neat. All of a sudden, you didn’t need a bricks and mortar office. The cell phone moved the office to the cab of your truck. The answering machine and pager went the way of the floppy disc. You were free to roam.
Homeowners can easily shoot photos of problem spots and send them to your phone, saving you time and travel.
Simple "work in progress" shots don't have to be fancy, just showing that things are getting done.
No need to travel 30 miles to see what a film crew did to a 150-year-old floor. Submit proposals to an insurance company without leaving your desk.
The addition of the digital/video functions took this tool to another level. In the current vernacular, we became “citizen journalists” and took photos and videos of our work for web sites, emails, texts, Facebook and Twitter, if you’re that advanced. Like anyone who has as much of a visual product as this trade does, many have found it simple, inexpensive and pretty effective to take our own pics of our work.
But let’s not lose sight of some of the requirements of a good tool. We need economy, efficiency and time saving for a reasonable price. Here’s a few suggestions to consider:
- Status shots: If you’re working for people who are traveling or just showing a lot of concern, keeping them posted at the end of each day with a couple of still shots. That keeps them in the loop as to what’s going on. It’s cheap thrills for them and nice PR for you.
- Work-in-progress video: Different from the above, as I usually do this as a short (15 second max) video (keeping it short ensures it can be emailed). I had a client who lived 1,400 miles from the 1780 house I was restoring. I shot video clips and sent them to him, and he was beyond euphoric. He mentioned that although the project had been going on for three years and he had a restoration architect, restoration contractor and a general contractor, this was the first video anyone had sent him. It never hurts to put a grin on the homeowner’s face.
- The pre-estimate shot: There’s no such thing as a free estimate. Next time someone wants you to “drop by and tell me what’s going on with my floors,” ask them to send you photos of their concerns. You can quickly see them on your phone, review them and give them an idea of what needs to be done and some idea of the cost. I’ve made this a requirement, as I’ve found this a great way to tell whether someone just wants to talk about their problem or spend money solving it. Save yourself the time driving to/from their place until you know they’re serious.
- File management: Digital photos and videos can get large and be difficult to send. There are a number of options you might want to consider. Picasa, Flickr, Bitcasa and Dropbox are just a few options for sending larger data folders or albums.
- The virtual committee decision: How many people does it take to make a decision, and how often are they all going to be at the same place? Get in front of the architect, contractor, homeowner, decorator or nosy mother-in-law with some simple photos/videos. Move the decision-making process on down the road.Record pre-work conditions: Before you hit the go switches, do a quick walk-through and record any pre-existing damage to baseboards, doors, cabinets, etc. Nothing can spoil a punch sheet inspection like a “they said, you said” debate over items like this.
A smartphone does what a good tool should do: It saves time, reduces work load and increases your efficiency for a reasonable price. The phones have progressed from the novelty they started out as and to providing extraordinary options. Most people already have one in their pocket, purse or on their belt. It’s just a matter of thinking outside the box and putting them to a good, or better use.
