There was an article in Businessweek recently about a young woman who would manually send upwards of 500 faxes, yes faxes, per week. The sheer volume is amazing in this age of email and instant communication. The article goes on to describe how one of her co-workers demonstrated their process for creating labels. I’ll just say it involves a roll of stickers and a typewriter. But wait, it gets worse. The same woman refuses to use even a typewriter, preferring to “just write everything with a Sharpie”. This might sound a bit fantastical, but people like this still occupy office space in advanced nations.

I’ve worked with the same company for a while as a freelance contractor. Initially, I was their web developer and graphic designer. My responsibilities have grown considerably over the years, ranging from project manager, technology consultant, product developer, and the list goes on. You might say I’m a “guru” of sorts.

My employers specialize in one-on-one coaching, management and presentation courses, and providing speakers for conventions. They’ve been at it for over 25 years, regularly receiving praise and accolades from their clients, but it was just recently that the CEO became comfortable checking his email.

In my job I deal with technophobes on a daily basis. These people don’t seem to, or want to, understand the technology they’re using. I guess it’s understandable that there was a bit of resistance when I suggested changing the company newsletter to an email version. In the end, making the switch saved them thousands in shipping and printing costs, and cut months of production time every year. I also convinced them to increase their circulation from quarterly to monthly, ensuring steady communication with their clients. (Sounds likes someone deserves a raise!)

The problem with print is you never know who, or for that matter if anyone, is reading it. There are similar issues with digital text, but at least you have other metrics. After making the change, my clients can now track things like link clicks, forwards, and open rates. I’m happy to report that, according to MailChimp, their open rate is 21% higher than the industry average. There are other advantages, such as automated subscriber lists, website integration, and no wasted postage. It’s hard to see why you’d want to keep doing things the old-fashioned way.

The newsletter is an example of how I’ve helped them in a big way, but I’m not a one trick pony. I help them perform amazing technical feats almost daily, such as:

• sending an email
• moving a file into a folder
• finding things using Google
• recording videos on YouTube
• posting on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

There are still people who let their resistance to technology dictate how they run their business. Sometimes they’re in positions of power and not interested in change. They make light of their ignorance to mask their fear. With sometimes stubborn refusal to learn how to use the abundant resources at their disposal, they ensure they’ll get left behind and be unable to offer their clients the most up-to-date services possible. It’s worse when it’s someone in charge making decisions that affect the course of the company.

It’s our job, as those in the know, to pull those stuck in the past kicking and screaming into the present. We can worry about the future later. It’s our duty to help them see the benefits of the diverse technologies at their disposal. If that doesn’t work, you can always ask them if they’ve tried turning it off and on again.