Change is Difficult

This issue of The Advantage is all about change—the kind of change that’s all around us, every day. More and more financial transactions involve credit and debit cards, while fewer of us carry cash than ever before. Need a phone number or an address? These days, you turn to your smartphone for that kind of information and much, much more. Heck, the phone even talks to you, tells you how to get to where you’re going and finds you the closest burger joint along the way.

In business, staying abreast of all this change is challenging, especially when it involves technology. I know I speak for many of us when I say that all that technology has to offer isn’t always easy to accept. But staying abreast of technology is critically important to staying ahead of the game. As your partner in success, we’ve devoted this issue to providing useful information on making technology work for you. You’ll hear from fellow Members on how to take the important next steps after getting your website online (page 6). You’ll get tips and tricks from Preferred Partner Jennifer Schulman of Fortune Web Marketing on capturing your customers’ attention where they spend an increasing amount of time—on their smartphones (page 11). And throughout the magazine, you’ll learn about tools that will help you optimize your use of business technology.

Speaking of change, we’ve had a very difficult change here at Universal with the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Joe Stewart. So many of you have reached out to us with warm remembrances upon learning of his passing, and we so appreciate your kind thoughts and support. Change is difficult indeed, but together, we move forward.