Can You Survive Without Technology?
We’re surrounded by technology 24 hours a day. Mobile phones mean that we can be contactable wherever we are day or night (as long as they’re switched on and in range). Laptops mean we can work anywhere. We can be working even when we’re not in the office.
However, there’s a downside to all this technology and being constantly contactable. Firstly if it goes wrong you’re stuck. How do you carry on if the technology fails? Secondly, being constantly around technology means that we can never get away from it or we feel a reluctance to let it go – hence we end up taking it with us … just in case.
How many people take their mobile phone, PDA or laptop away with them on holiday? Perhaps your business is so critical that you can’t possibly be out of contact for a minute. What would happen if you left your mobile phone at home or on your desk while you went to a meeting? Would it really matter if you didn’t answer that email as soon as it arrives in your inbox or respond to a phone call. OK, I appreciate that in some instances you need to respond promptly in order not to lose business but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Make sure that you’re not totally dependent on your technology. Put a process or system in place to handle things if you’re without it for a while – either for a day or when you’re on holiday. Backup essential details and information, so that you can maintain contact in the event that your mobile, PDA or laptop is lost, stolen or crashes.
However, there’s a downside to all this technology and being constantly contactable. Firstly if it goes wrong you’re stuck. How do you carry on if the technology fails? Secondly, being constantly around technology means that we can never get away from it or we feel a reluctance to let it go – hence we end up taking it with us … just in case.
How many people take their mobile phone, PDA or laptop away with them on holiday? Perhaps your business is so critical that you can’t possibly be out of contact for a minute. What would happen if you left your mobile phone at home or on your desk while you went to a meeting? Would it really matter if you didn’t answer that email as soon as it arrives in your inbox or respond to a phone call. OK, I appreciate that in some instances you need to respond promptly in order not to lose business but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Make sure that you’re not totally dependent on your technology. Put a process or system in place to handle things if you’re without it for a while – either for a day or when you’re on holiday. Backup essential details and information, so that you can maintain contact in the event that your mobile, PDA or laptop is lost, stolen or crashes.
Labels: business, technology
1 Comments:
A very useful posting.
Personally, I find that by being deliberately non-responsive to calls via technology, it raises my value in the eyes of my clients. They know that I'm busy and the fact that I'm not always 'on call' means that they value my time even more when I get back to them. I wouldn't have a blackberry on principle of the expectation that I'm always available and I rarely respond to emails instantly. Certainly, when it comes to holidays I make it clear to clients that I'm 'on holiday' and they respect that. The trick is to ensure that they shouldn't need you while being away.
Do I lose business through not being permanently attached to technology? It's possible that I do lose some but the feeling of being in control of myself and not at the control of the technology is more than worth such risks.
Andy
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