Electronics Labs Australia owner David Nebe has taken the digital leap to automate his business processes by transitioning from paper-based records to an online spreadsheet and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system linked to his website.

David has implemented these changes while participating in council’s Digital Leap Moreton Bay mentoring program which helps local businesses scale through technology adoption, increasing their sales, reaching a wider range of customers and boosting the local economy.

The free six-month program has connected David with a mentor and resources that can support his business.

“Everything that I’ve learned in the program is being implemented into my new website, with help from my mentor Ricci Baros,” he said.

“My pain point from day one has been: How do I keep on top of things and not lose track of enquiries, bookings, special orders and follow-ups?”

“Ricci and I discussed transferring all my physical job tickets into a spreadsheet and how I could leverage that data using a CRM. That resulted in revamping my website which now includes job ticketing, call back requests, calendar bookings and follow-up reminders,” he said.

“I’m now actively using Google Workspace and calendar for my day-to-day requirements, which has been a fantastic help already. Ricci has helped guide me throughout that journey.”

Reaching out for support

David’s lifelong passion for electronics developed into a niche business that specialises in car key repairs.

Since moving from Bundaberg to Moreton Bay in 2024 David set up his business stall at the Redcliffe and Carseldine markets. Six months later, demand grew to the extent that he opened a shop front at The Walk Arcade in Redcliffe in early 2025.

David welcomed the opportunity to participate the Digital Leap Program which offered one-on-one mentoring and several training sessions to help simplify and automate his business processes.

“I needed help to keep on top of everything. Having a CRM system in place to stay organised and keep track of jobs in the shop, as well as the markets, has made a big difference to my peace of mind,” he said.

“My biggest takeaway from the first training session was about understanding the customer journey – how they contact you, what their second contact would be, and how you can maintain a relationship with your customers.”

David also sought IT support to fill in the gaps in his technology skills, such as revamping and hosting his website, helping with Google integration, and transferring his data to Google Workspace.

“There is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t be where I am right now with my business if it wasn’t for the Digital Leap program.

“The difference my mentor Ricci has made has been as a sounding board for ideas. For me, the big takeaway was that you don’t expect your mentor to give you all the answers.”

David says Ricci’s mentoring also includes business, personal and life coaching “which means I am learning to plan my day and de-stress as much as possible”.

As a result, David has established a Mission Control area in his shop and market stalls, which includes separate sections for current, completed and priority jobs, and one for parts orders.

“Having someone point out how a system like this can help me track jobs and stay on top of things has been very helpful. I’ve noticed my stress levels have dropped dramatically because keeping track of my business was my biggest struggle,” he said.

Ricci’s IT insights help improve business processes

Mentor Ricci Barros is one of many volunteer technology experts sharing their insights, skills and guidance with Digital Leap Program participants.

“Sometimes business owners don’t know who to turn to, or who to trust, so having someone knowledgeable in IT who’s not trying to sell you something is just the help they need,” he said.

Ricci and David have been meeting fortnightly since October 2025 to identify and discuss David’s individualised plan for technology adoption.

“My biggest satisfaction is seeing David kicking goals. He’s gone from a manual, paper-based process to having an electronic database and can communicate with his clients when he’s ready,” he said.

“He’s still in the process of finalising the ultimate plan, but he’s always walking forward. David feels technology does have a place in his business and can see how it’s freeing up some of his time for marketing and building rapport with his customers.

“David is taking it all on board and making the effort to get it right. It’s very rewarding sitting in the stands watching him do that and being part of his journey.”

Ricci has more than 30 years of experience in IT service delivery, software development, support, stakeholder engagement, team building, program/project management, vendor/contract management, as well as Life Coaching certification.

He founded The iTech Tree to provide specialised ICT services for microbusinesses and small enterprises.

“What drives me overall is about using the right technology for the best price and focusing on automations and integrations that align with business processes.”

Ricci also encourages business owners to take a wider, strategic approach: What else do you need in your business? How will these technologies talk to each other? How can we automate repetitive tasks so that you have more time to do other things?

“Council’s Digital Leap Program allows businesses to invest time into getting that information quickly and from people who have been out there, done that, made the mistakes and learned from them,” he said.