Chapter 15: Dipping My Toes in Business

“Mr. Radler, can you show me around your business and describe what you do? That will give me a better idea of what kind of setup you might need. Let’s start with your current computer and look at what you already have available.”

He had greeted me at the door and shook my hand, as I introduced myself. He looked like a typical shop owner but I noticed his clothes were of the industrial strength variety. I assumed that was because of all the machinery that he was handling.

“My daughter Jana will be along shortly. She wants to know what you have in mind as well,” he announced.

“Good, it’s always good to share new information,” I noted.

We did a tour of the showroom area which featured a number of reconditioned appliances for sale before he took me into the back of the store and the repair area.

“I’m constantly making decisions about whether the machines are salvageable or not. It’s a judgment thing that I’ve acquired over the years. I’ve got to the point where I can listen to a machine ... if it’s running ... a make an educated guess whether it’s fixable at a reasonable cost.

“Automatic washing machines are the most difficult and clothes dryers are the easiest. If you look around, you’ll see a lot of bins with parts in them. That’s also part of my inventory and again, I really rely on my memory to figure out which part might be useable in which machine. Some of them are universal and quite interchangeable,” he explained.

“How do you keep track of all this?” I asked.

He pointed to his head and smiled. “It’s all up here, but to be truthful, that’s not the most reliable place for it. It’s not information that I can readily share with anyone who might be working here. My limited staff is pretty well confined to the sale of rebuilt appliances and I look after the servicing and reconditioning. I’d like to find an apprentice, but so far, no one has applied.”

“Okay, let’s have a look at your computer,” I suggested.

We walked back to the front of the store and the main counter. Sitting on top was an old cathode ray monitor and I began to realize just how far behind his computer might be. The box was an old Compaq but I didn’t recognize the model number. Sure enough, it was a Pentium 5 and the programs were just as old. I saw Lotus 123 and Word Perfect but little else I recognized. Really, there was no point in trying to upgrade this unit, it wouldn’t be able to handle the newer programs.

“I’m going to show you what I use and it would be more than enough for this business, Mr. Radler.” I picked up my leather pouch and pulled out my HP ProBook. I opened it up and pushed the start button. Within seconds it lit up on my Windows 10 entry page.

“That was quick,” Myron Radler noted. “I feel like it takes five minutes for this old thing to get going.”

“No doubt it’s a lot faster but the main thing is what you can see and what you can’t. This laptop computer has a much better screen image, particularly if you’re looking at technical or mechanical illustrations. More to the point, it can handle probably hundreds of times the amount of data that your machine can hold. Plus, you can transcribe information to either disc or thumb drive in seconds, giving you additional storage and backup. If the power goes out, it still operates on its battery. Plus, it’s portable, so you can take it home with you and have it available for evening work as well as keeping it safe in case of a break-in. It’s one of the first things crooks like to steal because it’s easy to sell.”

“Well, I don’t know if I can afford to get something as fancy as that,” he said.

“I bought this on sale at Tech Wiz in Iowa for three hundred dollars. It’s a reconditioned unit and it’s just fine for my needs. There’s a Tech Wiz in Bend and I notice they have sales flyers in the paper almost weekly.”

“Three hundred dollars is pretty cheap. What else would I need?” he wondered.

“A printer. I have a one color laser printer by this same company and it was less than a hundred dollars.”

“What about programs?” he continued.

“Well, I have an old Microsoft Office 2000 that I’ve been using for years. It’s obsolete now but it still does everything I want it to do. However there are two or three similar concepts to Office that are free on line. Apache Office and Libre Office have almost every feature that MS Office has. You can set up inventory lists, do invoicing, billing, you can even download tax forms from the State or Federal Government. I’ll bet Jana can find her way around that program with ease,” I grinned.

“Dad, that sounds exactly what you need,” Jana piped up. “That antique you’ve got is really not very helpful to you. I’m going to take some classes on business management and I bet I’ll learn quite a bit about how to use those office programs.”

I could see the wheels grinding in Myron Radler’s mind. “Could you show me how to use these programs, Joel? I just hope they aren’t too complicated.”

“Most of the new programs for home use are very easy to learn. It just takes a bit of experimentation to get comfortable with them. Again, Jana has a lot of experience with the high school computers, so I’m sure she could help you. But, to get you started, I’d be happy to help you set up a system for your business.”

“He nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, you’ve sold me. I didn’t have any illusions that this piece of junk was going to do what I needed it to do. In the back of my mind, I thought I was going to have to spend big bucks to get what I need. What you’ve described is much more economical than I thought. I like that idea of being portable too. My wife is on me more than enough about getting stuck at the shop doing paperwork. If I can take it home, at least I’m visible. That would be worth a lot too,” he chuckled.

I made arrangements for Mr. Radler to call me when he had his computer and printer and I would help him get it set up. I didn’t have to wait very long.

“Joel,” Jana said excitedly as she plunked herself down at the lunch counter. “Guess what. Dad got two computers and two printers. Can you believe it?”

“Well, that’s a surprise. Why two?” I wondered.

“One for him ... and one for me?” she beamed. “He said you were right. They weren’t as expensive as he thought they would be and he knew I would like to have one as well, so ... he bought two.”

“It’s hard to go to college these days without a personal computer. I’m glad he took the plunge. Now, I’ll help him set up the programs when he calls.”

“Oh ... that’s right. He wanted to know if you could drop by tonight ... seven o’clock.”

“Yeah, I’m okay for that. Will you be there?” I wondered.

“Oh, for sure. I’m sure I can learn a lot from you too,” she beamed.

“Hey, are you trying to steal my boyfriend?” Teresa asked.

“Well, uhm, maybe,” she kidded.

“Hands off, I saw him first,” Teresa snapped in a voice that couldn’t quite pull off being irritated.

Jana Radler was a very attractive young woman who didn’t exactly advertise her appearance. I couldn’t tell if it was deliberate or just a product of her background, but she was almost hiding the fact that she had a very attractive body, and nice, girl-next-door face, short, curly brown hair, and a great smile. I liked her the first time she showed up with Teresa and nothing had changed my opinion.

“Now girls, I realize I’m worth fighting over but surely you can settle this peaceably,” I kidded.

“Stay out of this, Joel,” Teresa snapped, giving me the elbow. “Jana, you and I have to have words. We’ll talk after Joel leaves,” she smirked.

To her credit, Jana didn’t appear to be the least bit intimidated. That caught me by surprise. I thought she was the shy type but perhaps I was wrong.

“So, there you are, Mr. Radler. I’ve got the word processor up and running on the font style and size you like. I’ve shown you where the templates are for invoicing and receipts and work orders. You can make them your own in whatever style you like. The laser printer will give you an excellent image to project for your business.

“The spreadsheet is pretty standard and you’ll have to experiment with it to see what it can do for you. I’ve already shown you that it can do mathematical calculations automatically. But have Jana work with you on that. She’s got more experience and can help you figure out how to get the most out of it.

“I would suggest when you get more experience with the system that you set up an order entry and work-in-progress file, with promise dates and parts requirements. The computer will give you an alert when the dates approach. You won’t get caught trying to juggle too many promises at one time if you use it properly. Again, I know Jana can help you with that as well.”

“Joel, I never realized how much one of these things can do,” he said tapping the lid on the laptop. It’s really a surprise and shows me just how far behind I am with the modern age,” he said, shaking his head.

“I don’t come anywhere near using all the programs and features that I have on my little laptop. I’ve had a computer of one kind or another since I was a kid, so it’s like a basic tool I always needed for school and now work,” I said.

“I must be the only guy in town living in the dark ages,” he laughed.

“No, I’m sure you are not, but then that’s the past, and this is the future for your business,” I said.

“I’ve ordered an internet connection upgrade,” Mr. Radler added, “and that will be along sometime next week. I’m sure that will help too. When you first called me, you said something about a survey. Did we ever get around to that?” he wondered.

“Not really but it was great experience for me. I think my opportunity may be in troubleshooting at the client’s location. I found it so much easier to work on problems that I could see right in front of me, rather than on the phone or by email. Maybe the key to this service might be my willingness to make house calls,” I chuckled.

“Well, it sure worked great for me. What do I owe you for your time?” he asked.

“Nothing. This was a trial run and a favor for a friend ... Jana. I don’t charge for favors. Besides, you’ve had a cash outlay for the laptops and printers, so let’s keep the costs reasonable for now. The next call ... well ... we can discuss it,” I grinned.

“Thank you, Joel. You’ve been a big help and I really appreciate it. I’m sure glad Jana mentioned it to you about what I was using. I don’t suppose they have any resale value?” he chuckled as we shook hands.

“No sir, not a dime. They are the Dodos of the computer world. May they rest in peace ... or pieces,” I smiled.

“Thank you again, Joel. I really appreciate you help. Jana will see you out while I start fiddling with this machine,” he laughed.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Radler. Good luck,” I said, as Jana and I walked to the front door.

“You made yourself a friend, Joel. Your explanations were easy to follow and I’m sure Dad will get a lot out of the new machines. I can help him but I’m not as good a teacher as you are,” she smiled.