The Effects of “Always-On” Experience and Aggresiveness
In this age of fast-paced lifestyle and too much dependence on digital gadgets, people have zero or little tolerance to downtimes, long queues, long waits at the customer help line and the like. The always-on experience brought about by the emergence of the internet and cellular technologies demands that we have a ready access to everything. We want our DSL or cable internet to be fast enough 24×7. We want our BlackBerrys to forward all those all-important emails. We want our coffee and lunch instant. We want it fast and we want it instantly. If we could skip lunch without ill effects to our health, there’s no doubt you would because there’s simply no time.
Which brings us to our rather turbo-charged reactions when we are dealing with other people. For example, when you’re on a phone and calling the tech support, how many times have you been yelling at the customer support representative? Or when you are accessing some website and became deeply frustrated when the page hurled a 404 message (or in other words, the site is down)? Or when you are checking your BlackBerry or cellphone under the table while dining? Or when there’s no cellphone signal because you’re on a deadspot? Or when a hurricane or a very strong typhoon hit your city or town? The mere occurrence of blackouts cause mental anguish on your head.
Downtimes, whether system-related or caused by nature, are inevitable occurrences. With nature, the best you can do is preparation. For everything else, it’s communications, plain and simple. You have every right to vent out your frustration and shout all you want, but do understand that simply shouting doesn’t make your message loud and clear. You have to address it to proper authorities or to the proper person. When you address it the second time around and nothing has changed, it’s time to address it with a louder voice. You need to address it with other voices from the community. If everything else fails, you haven’t done enough to address the problem or the other party is not doing their job.
Either way, your voice should be heard loud and clear, but in a civil and polite way.
In a world of instant email and instant hate mail, instant news and instant public outrage, instant action and instant reaction, the world knows what you are feeling. Communication is the key, and transparency along with respect between the two parties will settle the differences.