When it comes to work, it’s almost cliché to say that you’re “on the go.” We all seem to be in a never-ending transition from project to project, client to client, or site to site. But what if your job is not only to be mobile yourself, but also to help other companies keep their employees on the move? That’s Chris Stuart’s role, and he’s been putting the pedal to the metal for years.
A nine-year veteran at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Chris Stuart has worked his way up to a Business Account Executive, charged with looking after corporate sales for eastern and northern Scotland. Owing to its productivity-enabling features and battery life, he’s chosen BlackBerry as his co-pilot. Recently, he took the time to give us a test drive of his busy schedule – and how his Classic fits in.
Chris isn’t the only professional who puts his productivity in the hands of the Classic. Check out our interviews with a New York PR professional, an award-winning journalist, an engineering operations manager, a video production company CEO, an ex-iPhone-using-tech enthusiast, a TV host, an author and radio star, a broadcast journalist, a Hollywood exec, and a newspaper editor.
Ryan: What do you enjoy about working at Enterprise?
Chris: I think it’s their business model. It gives me a great deal of autonomy – there’s excitement in seeing where your career can take you, and in knowing that the power to succeed is all yours. As cheesy as it sounds, the best way to put it is that it feels I’m running my own business with someone else’s money.
Ryan: What made you decide on the Classic?
Chris: Mainly, it was down to the fact that it has buttons and a larger screen. The way phones are being designed these days, they’re practically all full-screen models. That’s not for me. Before my current device, I had a Bold 9900, so the Classic’s keyboard was familiar to me.
Ryan: How was the transition from BlackBerry OS to BlackBerry 10?
Chris: It was fairly easy, to be honest. I found that [the Classic] was instantly available to use, and it was very easy to transfer data between the Classic and Bold. There was little very downtime and zero awkwardness to getting started.
Ryan: Walk me through your average workday.
Chris: Most of the time, I’m field-based, constantly attending meetings. I have to respond quickly to messages and requests, mainly through email and phone. Time management is definitely the most challenging thing. I need to put myself in the right place and work out where I need to be.
Ryan: How does the Classic help you stay productive?
Chris: The biggest help to me is how it integrates with my Mazda 3. I’m really pleased with being able to access all of my contacts as well as make and receive calls while on the go (safely, of course). Another big one for me is that emails are literally instant, there’s no lag or delay between me and my correspondence, from receiving to deleting. I can respond to every message with zero spelling mistakes and with ease.
I’ve also set up my accounts to different colours for the LED indicator, so I can easily see who is trying to contact me. I tend to stick with the stock apps on the BlackBerry Classic. The only extra apps I’ve installed are mainly for document viewing. Having access to PDF and various other file types is extremely handy.
I also use WhatsApp daily for both work and personal use, as well as BBM; there are quite a few people I connect with who still use BBM.
Ryan: What do your co-workers say about your Classic?
Chris: They’re intrigued by my decision to stick with a BlackBerry smartphone. Typically, there are a lot of iPhone users at Enterprise, and a few with Android. Perhaps they all see how productive I am and regret their own choice of smartphone.
Ryan: What is your favourite feature of the Classic?
Chris: The keyboard on the Classic is probably the best BlackBerry keyboard that I’ve ever used, but I have to again say the Hub is the main benefit for me. It’s really unique in that you can quickly drop in and out of it to see what you need to do and even prioritize what needs immediate attention.
Ryan: How would you rate your BlackBerry Classic?
Chris: 8.5 out of 10. The screen size and keyboard are a great mix, and the build quality is amazing. I recommend to everyone to certainly pick one up, especially if you are someone who is on the move. One of the main things, going from an iPhone to BlackBerry, I no longer have to repeatedly delete emails after deleting them already. That guaranteed sync between your smartphone and your inbox is priceless.
Get your BlackBerry Classic for US$379 from ShopBlackBerry (prices vary by country). Business owners can also buy Classics and other handsets and enjoy volume discounts by buying direct from BlackBerry.
