For me, to me, I want
I’ve overheard a business developer yesterday mentioning in disgust that if the choice was his, he’d not spent a cent of advertising budget on their online audience/customers. “They walk over to a competitor the minute their rate drops with one cent to ours and then inconsistently rip us to pieces online. They are just not loyal.”
So I started to think if there are still loyal consumers out there today? Is there still a place for loyalty with the progressive online “media/consumer rights” where anyone can say anything about anyone without thinking two seconds about it?
And it doesn’t dwell with online consumers only – this “all to me / all for me” trend is filtering through to well, anyone really. Employers, employees, partners, children…
I’m not contradicting the right to being informed with loyalty, rather with freedom of speech. Just because you are able to share your every thought with the whole wide world, doesn’t necessarily mean you are informed. It means you have a way bigger responsibility. As your opinions have a bigger reach and impact than you might realise.
Most of the times I think the right to say what you want, when you want (be it online or not) should be taken away from all those that are not capable of thinking, but alas, seems that anyone has the right of everything these days. And they demand it. Because they can.
Communication impersonal
There is nothing so satisfying and enjoyable as meeting a close friend for coffee and a nice chat. The value in meeting someone face to face is priceless. You can read their body language, pick up on their mannerisms and see the happiness or sadness in their eyes.
The same principles apply in business. It is much easier (and less destructive) to sort out a problem in person, for example. Funny then that people rely so heavily on email, MSN, Skype, etc. to communicate.
It is very weird if you receive a Skype message from the person sitting right next to you. Before long a whole conversation is enfolding, but you don’t look each other in the eye - it is all happening on your screen. Jokes are told, information shared, but so much emotion is lost in the process. And off course misunderstanding is the biggest danger because you can’t pick up on the underlying meaning.
It just seems that a whole new culture is developing in companies. Instant Messaging (IM) should be embraced to enhance internal communication, but I’m scared technology is going to turn us into robots.
Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I still believe in eye contact and a firm handshake.
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by Bonita Da Serra
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