The End of Service Vs Self Serve

I really hope I am preaching to the converted on this one.

This is killing some small businesses. In this town, I personally know of 3 other shops that have gone under because of the trend of buying online. So I am not alone. There was an arts and craft shop that saw the writing on the wall a few years ago and she closed up. likewise, there was a lighting shop that had people come in and look around, and then go out, just to buy the item they were looking at online. Yes, she too closed up. So like that we did the same thing. I saw the writing on the wall about 2 years ago and then got confirmation from my accountant at the end of the last financial year.

Now, when I go to town I see the end of service all around me. I go to the takeaway food shop and you do not need to talk to a person and still get what you want. I go to the supermarkets and the same thing happens. and funny enough I go to the hardware shop, You guessed it. The same thing is there. Self Serve everywhere. You may think me a Luddite about this. But I ask you; Where are the school leavers gain the interpersonal customer service that is being bleached out of the kids by mobile phones? How do they get the work experience they need to get the next job?

I see that there is a general push to get school leavers to enter the IT industry more and more. Then the only service industries that will be left is tourism based industry, building industry and mechanic. We are already a society of specialization. Always needing a license of some type to do anything we want to do. It is sad to think that if we want to do anything we still need to ask some authority for permission. I know that at my other workplace I need to have a certificate that I know how to wash my hands.

I cannot wait till the next solar flare happens as it did in 1859, where the telegraph system went down and wires caught on fire. Just think, all the computers that make society work will crash and the internet will not be around for you to buy stuff for survival.