Office Tech: Then and Now

OFFICE TECH THEN AND NOW FROM BEEHIVES TO BYOD. Office culture has changed a great deal over the last 60 years – from three-piece suits and whiskey breaks to start-up casual and lunchtime yoga. Office technology has evolved so much that soon our entry-level workforce won't even recognize typewriters or Rolodexes. Read on to find out what else has changed in the office since the days of Don Draper - learn where our current technologies stem from and see how state-of-the-art technologies from the 1960s have quickly become mu aseum-worthy relics. CORRESPONDING AND COPYWRITING The noisy typewriter is a thing of the past - in some cases, even a collectors' item. Whereas copywriters of old clicked away at their Underwoods, they now tap away at their MacBooks or iPads. Once considered luxuries, it's now estimated that 77% of American adults have either a desktop or laptop computer, and we use our new tech both in the office, at home, and to work on the go. In fact, 67% of tablet owners have used their devices to work remotely. Time to send a file to New York from Los Angeles - 3 days via Federal Express vs. 3 seconds via email. COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES Forget the rotary phones of the past - or even the cordless phones of the late 20th century. These days, office communications revolve around the use of smartphones. With a smartphone, you can make calls, check email, use productivity apps, and even conduct meetings - all from the palm of your hand. Recent reports suggest that the number of smartphones in the enterprise could reach 350o million by 2014. Male to Female Ratio in the Workforce (1950 vs 2000) - 70% M/30% F VS. 53%M/47%F CONNECTING WITH THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Switchboard operators of the 1960s were responsible for connecting calls throughout the office - a complicated task in a large organization. Thanks to business phone systems with Automatic Call Distribution, calls are now directly routed to the ww appropriate employee, regardless of business size. Average Hourly Wages (1960 vs. 2010) - $16.87 (2009 dollars) vs. $25.31 (2009 dollars)5 PRESENTING THE LATEST PITCH Imagine having to thread film through a projector or use a noisy photo carousel to visually pitch a new idea to a client. Today's software programs, like PowerPoint and Keynote, make presenting clean, user-friendly, and totally mobile. You can email yourself a PowerPoint seconds before a meeting - try that one with a projector. GDP Per Capita (1960 vs. 2010) - $21,133 (2009 dollars) vs. $45,990 (2009 dollars) ENSURING YOUR FILES ARE SAFE Briefcases were (and are) a fashionable way to keep important files on you at all times. However, briefcases can also be lost, stolen, or damaged - with your precious files inside. Thanks to advancements in cloud computing, your files can be safely stored online and accessed from anywhere - the road, your office, on the train, at a client meeting. You can still carry a briefcase - just make sure your files are backed up in the cloud! Storage space needed for a 50 page document: 50 cubic inches in a file cabinet vs. 2MB on a hard drive. KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH CLIENTS The Account Services teams of the past likely kept their contacts in in Rolodexes. To have a large Rolodex was an enviable asset. Though still used occasionally, Rolodexes have largely been replaced by Outlook and LinkedIn. Using LinkedIn, a professional social media networking site, you can browse over 200 million users to search for potential clients by industry, title, and more, then see how you're connected to make an introduction or pitch. How's that for a big Rolodex? Powered by Broadview Networks Contact Broadview Networks: 800-405-2200 / broadviewnet.com Broadview NETWORKS Source information: broadviewnet.com/blog/2013/07/business-phone-infographic