Duckers & Diving: There’s No Tech Like Old Tech

SOMETHING of a technophobe himself, this week our dynamic diarist extols the virtues of low-tech, old fashioned business practices.

News of one of the refugees from former Birmingham law firm Blakemores.

You may remember that the Solicitors Regulation Authority took over in March and shut the operation down.

Not a good year for the legal fraternity what with the troubles afflicting Cobbetts and Challinors.

Some speculate that as many as 7,000 Blakemore files were taken possession of as part of the controversial closure.

For former Birmingham Law Society president Bernard Shepherd it meant a walk round the corner to join smaller city centre rival Miles Pierce.

But one of his many beefs – if a Shepherd can have such a thing – about the way it was all handled concerned the fact that his contacts were stuck in the computer and, with the server gone, that’s where they were staying.

But Bernard, a jack of many legal trades including commercial, property, wills and trusts, is “old school” and he had a fall back – business cards.

Yes, the 74-year-old has kept virtually every one since they were invented.

So, thanks to the inputting efforts of a Miles Pierce work experience girl, they are all back live.

And all contacted to inform them of our hero’s re-invention.

Mind you a spot of confusion for the overseas connections in the likes of China and India.

“She was prefacing them all, home and abroad alike, with ‘if you’d like a quick cup of coffee then let me know’,” he quips.

Oops. A bit tricky.

But the vast majority got the message and responded positively.

Moral of the story – always keep old technology as a back-up.