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- by Bob Arnold At our latest
DRJ conference last month, numerous e-business concerns seemed to draw
a great deal of attention and concern. These issues - 100% availability
of e-business services - isn’t a very new or creative idea, but
the idea of losing our personal contacts and customer service is. We
are almost coming to a point where many of us may be losing many of
our personal interactive skills with our co-workers and even our customer
and service providers. On the positive
side of this issue, we are truly becoming a much more efficient machine
for our organizations, but at what cost? We no longer need to small
talk with our co-workers/customers for a simple question. It can be
a short 2-3 line e-mail, and even a shorter reply to that question back.
This in turn allows us much more time for many additional tasks. We
also can take on numerous large projects simultaneously without worrying
about the overlap of two issues running together. In addition, e-mail
solves the problem of having to keep one customer on hold while working
with another, possibly agitating one or both of them. We also are able
to review and ensure the message or point we are sending is correct
in this new electronic communication method. In face to face or live
phone conversations we do not have this luxury. There are many times
things may be taken out of context, stated incorrectly, forced, or even
legally speaking could get you into trouble. E-mail gives us a better
chance to alleviate most of these issues as well as becoming more efficient
in general. So what, with all of these benefits, could be the down-side
of e-mail and the web then? Have you found
yourself e-mailing a co-worker that is just around the corner or in
the next cubicle, just for the convenience or not wanting to go speak
with him or her? This is the issue that arose in several sessions at
our conference and in conversations. The threat of losing our interpersonal
skills. We are social beings and are in need of personal contact and
interactivity. The threat that e-mail and the web bring is that we are
possibly losing the ability to communicate effectively with one another
in real-time. Many of us may find ourselves e-mailing a co-worker, service
provider, customer, or friend rather than talking with them personally.
This could be a point of concern. E-mail can be so emotionally bland
that it eventually could risk many relationships. Also more times than
not, e-mails can be mis-understood or misinterpreted to be much harsher
or more blunt than the same words would be if said in a phone call.
You can state emotions and feelings in your voice whereas you cannot
in e-mail. This I am sure has ruined or jeopardized many business and
personal relationships to date. Many believe
we choose the e-mail communication method to truly avoid personal contact
in many cases. It would be different or more understanding for negative
communications but many of the messages are neutral or even positive.
Many of us are the type that will avoid confrontation at all cost, and
for them, e-mail has been a blessing. But again as social beings we
need personal confrontation and opposite views on things to help us
continue to grow as individuals. We also are in need of positive interaction
as well. These interactions help us keep our personal skills at their
finest. This issues’ new DRJ.com supporters Actual Software CD Business Solutions DTS Software Bob Arnold is Vice-President and Webmaster for the Disaster Recovery Journal. ©Copyright 2000 Systems Support Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of System Support Inc. is prohibited. |
