Written by Suzanne Hite, former publications editor serving the technology services sector

Question: Back home, my dad runs an auto repair service. He does amazing work, and I’m so proud of him, but he’s starting to clear less of a profit lately–and I think I know why.

My dad is great with cars, but he’s not great with computers. His shop has a Facebook page that he never updates (I think I’m the one that made it for him, actually–years and years ago!), but that’s about it. He doesn’t even have a website, which must make his business the last on Earth without one. Meanwhile, his competitors have decent websites and some even allow you to book an appointment through the site. I hate to say it, but if he wasn’t my dad, I’d probably choose the competitors, too–they’re easier to find online and are more convenient for tech-savvy people to use!

It’s not like I know a ton about computers, though, and I can’t just build a website for my dad. What can I do? I’m worried about his business.

Answer:

Your father is actually far from alone in his distaste for the latest tech: the number of small business owners who say they don’t have a website is actually quite high, at 45%. But you may well be right that your dad’s luddite tendencies are behind his business’ decline. We know, based on stats from search engines like Google, that a web presence is vital to getting business. Potential customers tend to search for businesses, and they tend to do so from a mobile device (even, Google says, if a computer is available). Of those searching, 68% go the business in question within 24 hours, and 50% make a purchase.

So it’s quite likely that your father’s tech illiteracy is hurting his business. But the good news is that neither you nor your father need to learn HTML or JavaScript to fix this problem. Outsourcing is a tried and true method in tech. Outsourcing is popular even with big tech companies themselves, according to the experts at Polycom, who have partnered with firms as large as Microsoft. So rather than do everything in-house, your dad can turn to local experts in web design to get his website off the ground.

While he’s at it, there are a few other things he may want to consider. A great web site should be easy to find on Google and other popular search engines, which is why any web designer he deals with should have a knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO). And he need not stop there: with scheduling software and number-crunching data programs, he can use technology to make his business more efficient. Data is transforming industries as diverse as oil and healthcare, experts say, and it no doubt can provide insights in auto care as well.

The investment your father makes does not need to be massive: 63% of small business owners say they spend less than a quarter of their budget on technology. But a bit of cash can go a long way for your dad’s auto shop if he invests wisely. Good luck to him!