Not long ago, the dime store sold pet rocks. Secretaries typed letters and memos, deliberately key-stroking on a manual typewriter; office bookkeepers filled in ledgers with sharpened pencils. Homes fueled furnaces with oil; gasoline cost less than a dollar. Some doctors made house calls, and prescriptions were filled at the drug store.

Times have changed – some.

An occasional dollar store carries pet rocks. Typewriters have given way to computers, email and spreadsheets. We still purchase fuel, visit doctors, and retrieve prescriptions, but many of those businesses have simply evolved, often adding services in support of their products.

Business managers have become more vigilant about customer needs. They carefully follow trends in their markets and are able to offer the right mix of products and services.

“Pharmacists were unable to counsel, even 30 and 40 years ago,” said Dan Churchill, owner of Churchill HealthMart Pharmacy. “The method was fairly inefficient. Today, we utilize our skills – good for the healthcare system as well as good for our customers.”

Pharmacies now offer counseling, patient medication management, and a full gamut of health screenings and immunizations, in addition to yesterday’s compounding and dispensing of medications.

Instead of relying solely on a doctor’s advice, Internet access allows today’s patients to research symptoms or medications from home. And prescriptions can be filled online, creating another potential competitor to local businesses.

Pharmacies must be more efficient, utilize technologies and offer detailed services to prove their worth, Churchill said.

Customer needs

Businesses need to be tuned into what the consumers wants, said Kevin Fishbeck, University of Mary division chair for business.

In a technologically savvy world, consumers consider needed items differently. Cell phones, personal music, and other small devices, portable and convenient, rank right up there with food and gas.

Comfort Zone Heating and Air owner Randy Mathern said, “Everyone has a cell phone. No longer are business people tied to a desk; they can be reached virtually anytime, anyplace, allowing more personal contact. Everything has gone electronic. No more paper invoices.”

True. Business settings today differ greatly from those of yesterday, including the addition of sleek wireless laptop computers, hands-free communications, and GPS systems in vehicles. Technology advancements, and a movement toward environmentally friendly spaces, helped initiate a drive for green energy.

“Geo-thermal energy (has) slowly become interesting,” said Mathern, who worked with gas- and oil-fi red furnaces for more than 30 years. “There are energy costs and advantages with it. New home construction is big in energy efficiency, and more existing homes are converting to geo-thermal energy heating and cooling.”

Mathern sees resale of homes absorbing the investment in energy efficiency, as buyers recognize its value.

Coming full circle

Working both as certified public accountants and consultants, Krumm & Associates owner Ken Krumm says local businesses must specialize and strive to provide not only top quality products, but the service and expertise to back those products, at fair market prices.

“Businesses today have no choice but to create a niche product or service as well as adapting to meet the needs of customers,” Krumm said. “By adapting, they retain their market share. By providing a personal touch and follow-through, businesses change the battleground.”

Time and resources spent gaining customer trust and providing excellent service are justifiable costs, Krumm said.

The Krumm & Associates staff works to practice public accounting, in addition to helping growing companies and individuals with financial matters.

The firm recognizes there are people who’d just as soon work with software applications on their own – in a world of technology. However, by developing trusting relationships, Krumm & Associates encourages their customers to return – for tax assistance as well as for help on daily operations of their business.

The new wave

Technology. E-mail. Faxes. Business websites. E-commerce.

Jay Couture of Jay’s Pawn finds the Internet a useful advancement in his industry, as it brings the world to his storefront.

Pawnshops are primarily a way for folks to have money lent to them, in exchange for an item of value (such as televisions or guns). Placing items on Ebay brings the world to his storefront, and effectively markets items for customers.

Couture said he finds which items sell online stunning: from Native American star quilts and popular Star Wars items to a saddle or black hills gold.

He watches the trends and local happenings for guidance. When the Memorial Bridge needed resurfacing, Couture considered how the traffic reduction would affect his Mandan shop, and chose to open a second location in south Bismarck, then added a third when he added pay day loans.

Fleck’s Furniture & Appliance owner Charlie Franzen also watches trends and sales of merchandise to determine when and how his business products will change and evolve. The appliance sales company began 74 years ago and has grown to include furnishings, bedding, and flooring, although merchandise varies from the Bismarck market to the Dickinson market.

Franzen said, “Being small, you can make those changes from store to store, and adapt to what you need.”

Bit’s O Change

– So it is with art supply stores. Formerly notorious for the old drafting table, t-square, and triangle sales, they’ve evolved to be support services for draftsmen working from computer software programs. Artists still fi nd paints, brushes, and papers at Mathison’s, but with the addition of processing equipment, the needs of the customers seeking ways to outsource their production are met.

– J & R Vacuum and Sewing carries a full line of vacuum cleaners and holds the area’s Pfaff dealership for sewing machines.  Old machines offered either straight or zig-zag stitching, but sewing machines changed with the times. Quilters and embroiderers find machines for one service or both.

– Foot customers stop at Gartner’s Shoe Hospital for shoe, luggage, purse, and belt repair as well as to purchase either orthopedic or custom clinic shoes, now manufactured on site.

– Grocery stores offer kiosks for cell phones, video rental, coin counting and exchange, postal, pharmacy, banking, and departmentalize their own products with deli and bakery departments. Convenience stores replaced service stations.

– Bis-Man Tractors owner Jeff Moilanen started selling farm and hay machinery 40 years ago. Today, they sell commercial and residential equipment in addition to the agricultural machinery. He sees the population growth attributing to this new customer range.

– Back ache? Chiropractors were known for ailing backs. Today’s chiropractic offi ce offers care for back injuries, pregnancy, allergies, nutritional care, and more. Within a given office, today’s patient fi nds chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists.