Thinking Creativity
Managing E-Expectations
Technology has changed a lot of things in our lives. One thing it has changed is our perception of time.
When I started my career in the 1980s, we had computers, but no fax machines (and no e-mail, of course). I remember when we first got a telecopier. For those of you who don't remember telecopiers, they were basically prehistoric fax machines. Like a fax machine, a telecopier would send a document over the phone line. Unlike a fax machine, one page of a document required about 30-60 minutes to transmit. Back then, we thought this was a miracle. Instead of an overnight wait to send a document across geography, we could do it in a few hours. Then, on the heels of the telecopier, along came the fax machine. An even bigger miracle, with a fax machine, transmitting a page required only a few seconds.
So, why is it that I have found myself standing in front of a fax machine, encouraging it to go faster? I think it's because as technology gets faster, we readjust our expectations of how fast other things should move. This creates a syndrome I call E-expectations.
E-expectations are the expectations that since we can communicate instantaneously--because of technology and the Internet--we can also perform instantaneously. E-expectations are apparent when we fail to allow a realistic amount of time for completion of a request. We expect an instant response to an e-mail simply because it is possible--never mind that a useful reply requires some thought on the part of the other person. We expect that because the person on the other end of the phone has access to a computer, the information we need is instantly available. And when our E-expectations are not met, we react with emotions that range from mild irritation to outrage.
Anyone who deals with customers has probably experienced the unpleasant result of E-expectations. The arrival of electronic information at our fingertips has shortened the patience span of customers. Today, it seems to take very little to send a customer into a tirade, and dealing with an irate customer is never pleasant.
However, you can soothe irritation or even prevent indignation by managing expectations with your customers. How?
·
If
customers call for service, explain the process and give them a
timeline.
·
If
your customers need information and you can't provide it
immediately, give them a time estimate for when they can expect your
response.
·
If
you are part way through a project, don't wait for completion, give
your client updates along the way.
·
When
you do give time frames, remember the old saying: "Underpromise and
overdeliver"
And remember, when you are the customer on the other end of the line, manage your own expectations by asking about timelines and processes, instead of assuming instant capability and then blaming the other person when they don't meet your E-expectations.
Shannon Bradford
is a writer and coach, helping people learn how to master their
brains to succeed in their careers and businesses. She is the author
of Brain Power (Wiley, 2002). Learn more at
www.shannonbradford.com
© 2001 Shannon Bradford
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