# My Encounter with a Luddite: Insights from My First Job Experience
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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Luddite Mindset
In my early career, specifically in 2008, I landed my first role in the banking industry as a Sales Analyst within the Sales Department. One of my notable interactions was with a colleague who embodied the characteristics of a "Luddite"—someone resistant to technological advancements and new methodologies.
Understanding the Luddite Perspective
The term "Luddite" originates from a secretive group of English textile workers in the 19th century who protested against industrial machinery by destroying it. It now generally refers to individuals who oppose new technologies or changes in work practices.
Chapter 1.1: My Role in the Banking Sector
My responsibilities included handling Car Loans, where I monitored key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
- The number of Loan Applications from Car Dealers
- The number of Approved Loan Applications
- The total Loans Granted
- The overall Granted Loan Amount
- The correlation between Applications/Loans and the Car Sales Market
We used these KPIs to generate daily, monthly, and year-to-date reports, along with ad-hoc analyses to track the activity of Car Dealers and Business Development Managers (BDMs).
Tools of the Trade
The primary tools I utilized were Excel and, occasionally, PowerPoint for presentations. Data was delivered via email and required merging from two distinct sources.
Chapter 1.2: The Repetitive Nature of Data Management
The two data sources contained several common dealers but often had variations in their names. For instance, "George Pipis" could appear as "Georgios Pipis," "Pipis Georgios," or even "Pipis, Georgios." This necessitated manual adjustments to reconcile approximately 20 dealer names daily. While this task did not consume excessive time, its repetitive nature was frustrating.
I proposed that we request a change in the dealer names within the database to streamline our work. However, my colleague resisted, suggesting that such a request would make us seem lazy.
Introducing Automation
Since I lacked the authority to initiate this change, I recommended using the VLOOKUP function in Excel. My colleague was unfamiliar with this tool, and despite providing a demonstration, I was unable to persuade them to adopt it. They preferred the manual method they had always used.
Chapter 2: The Pivot Table Solution
One of our weekly tasks involved compiling a comprehensive monthly report that included:
- Rows for all unique dealers (around 300)
- Columns representing monthly data across five categories: Applications, Approvals, Loans, Loan Amount, and Approval Rate
This process was labor-intensive and prone to errors. After updating the report for a month, I decided to utilize Pivot Tables to automate the process. By merely copying and pasting new raw data into the source sheet and refreshing the Pivot Table, the report was generated effortlessly in a new format while retaining the same essential information.
When I presented my findings to my colleagues, I was met with resistance. They insisted on maintaining the original format, expressing concerns that automating tasks could jeopardize our jobs by reducing workload.
Chapter 3: Embracing Technology in My Career
From the outset of my professional journey, I was determined to leverage technology rather than view it as a threat. In fact, a co-founder at my subsequent job mentioned that his goal was to make our statistical roles redundant. I embraced this vision, and together, we developed robust software that replaced manual statistical analyses. Interestingly, while my role as a statistician became obsolete, I retained my job due to the expansion of our responsibilities.
Now, as a manager, I encourage my team to automate repetitive tasks. By minimizing time spent on mundane activities, we can allocate more resources towards research, professional growth, and other valuable pursuits.