Ask almost anyone in business today, and they will expound on the wonders of how technology has enhanced their inter-personal communication.
In the B2B world, it has become the de facto solution for communicating, replacing antiquated methods like letters, memos or the once ubiquitous pink message slip in the mouse hole at reception.
Now, we have voicemail, email, instant messaging, tweeting, call display, all of which have replaced legacy methods for communicating with one another. The promise; greater accessibility, more timely communication, greater productivity to name just a few of the benefits and features we were all sold by technology providers. But is it?
If one is to make a fair comparison, then one need agree to a baseline for comparison.
For us older folks, it’s easy. We started our workday, often before 9:00am yet, the things we did were vastly different. There were no messages because the receptionist had not arrived yet to open the switchboard; there were no direct dial numbers in those days. Even if you had a call to return from the day before, you couldn’t because the person you were calling had to wait for their receptionist as well!
Emails to return? Forget it, no such thing. You waited for the daily mailman or courier delivery. What’s changed? Lots.
Technology has allowed organizations to drastically increase individual workloads and parameters of responsibility paving the way for more productivity from fewer people. The day still starts early but we are engaged in and accountable for activities, deadlines and expectations of accessibility, well before and after traditional working hours.
As well, a business person no longer needs to make a phone call, write a letter, or send a memo on an individual basis. We can now add multiple recipients to emails, ask for as many participants for a conference call as we like with the stroke of a key, or by pressing “send”. People have more
responsibility, greater workload and are the target of waiting voicemails, emails, websites to be checked, blogs to be followed and conference calls to attend.
Moreover, the day doesn’t end at 5:00pm anymore. Most people in the B2B world – and most everyone at the executive level – is expected to be accessible and engaged long after pre-technology working hours. Work life balance, not so much anymore.
This in itself isn’t the problem. The problem is a growing trend to what I will call “Technology Burnout”
Think about it, how often do your emails go unanswered, possibly not even read? Have you ever left a voicemail that was never returned? Ever sense someone is dozing off at the other end of a conference call? Have we all just become rude or ignorant?
Fact, there is an increasing trend – especially within Fortune 1000 companies and larger – where less and less respect and urgency is given to timely communication or even an obligation to respond.
Voicemails are deleted, sometime without being listened to at all. Emails go unanswered and often unread.
It is not because we have become rude, callous, or ignorant. It’s because we simply don’t have the time to sift through all the junk. If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me “when did you send that email?”, or “I didn’t have time to return your message”, well you get the point, and it’s not just me. This is a pervasive dilemma that isn’t going away and probably will get worse.
Some simple solutions?
• Stop leaving voicemail messages unless you really know someone.
• Use email only for continuing a well established discussion or series of communications.
• REDUCE REDUCE REDUCE the number of emails you send and their length. The ones you do send will have a much greater chance of being read and responded to.
• Pick up the phone and call once, twice, or more. Don’t give up until you get the person live.
• Send a letter, yes a letter! Snail mail. At the end of the longest day, successful communication starts with breaking out of the clutter. You can have the best opportunity in the world but if you don’t separate your communication tactics from the rest of the cattle, you’ll just be another side of beef.
Email, voice mail, etcetera are all Linear means of communication. If it’s an email, there is no voice and no physical contact. If it is voicemail, it is spoken word only with no physical contact.
As technology proliferates, so to will the number of electronic requests your clients receive asking for a share of their time. Use technology where it works. If it’s communication you want, pick up the phone or send a letter.
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