During the early '90s, a great new idea at Locksmith Ledger was to mail out a 3 1/2" floppy disc each month to all of our subscribers. Each floppy disc contained timely product information, stories and advertising. People at home could open the floppies on their computers and search through the information similar in a way to reading a magazine. Within a few months, the world wide web began offering the same information but without any mailing or floppy disc costs and Locksmith Ledger was left with thousands of unused floppy discs.
Internet watching has now become a necessary part of our culture. It can also serve as an indicator of what people are thinking and doing. Internet usefulness can range from being a perfect informational source to the biggest time-waster ever invented.
Somehow my name has been placed on several social and locksmith forum sites. Social sites are supposed to be a way to keep your name in front of your customers. But social sites also keep your name in front of fellow locksmiths. Information about arrivals at airports, backyard barbecues and birthday parties all fail my interest barometer. After noticing the same names on Facebook E-mails two or three times a week those E-mails are no longer opened. My father often went back to his locksmith store after dinner to write bills and get things ready for the next business day. Frequent Facebook posts indicate to me that somebody has too much free time.
Locksmith Classified forums are of interest to me. Classified sections advertise unneeded parts for sale. At one time items for sale usually consisted of new old stock (NOS) such as knob locks or products from companies who were out of business. A large percentage of classified items for sale today are automotive products. Types of classified products for sale are a clear indication of the direction in which the automotive locksmith business is headed. A demand for automotive pin kits and ignition locks has been superseded by the use of car remotes and programming tools required today.
The internet is a wonderful tool. It can be used either for pleasure, doing business or for obtaining information. The internet can also be used to indicate the future direction of industries such as locksmithing. The transition is apparent but we will have to watch and wait a much longer time for the outcome.
