The New Meaning of

Back in the day when everyone had a phone on their desk and mail was delivered twice a day to the office by a person in a smock wheeling a mail cart, following up meant that you would make a phone call or write a note to be mailed off in an envelope with a stamp.

When email was first introduced, it was a novelty to be able to receive a message and then type out a response and send it back, all within a matter of minutes. The first method was slow, and the second was a little faster, but neither was expected to be instantaneous.

“Snail mail” took days, and a prompt response to an email meant later in the day or the next day. Since you had to be in front of your desktop computer to read and return emails, those received after the end of a workday were sure to age overnight before being read and responded to.

The introduction of cell phones and voice mail made responding quicker. The same with our expectations for follow up. Now, effective communications meant returning that call immediately, since it didn’t matter where you were. The phone was no longer attached to a cord in the wall, but in your pocket, attached to your belt, or tucked away in a purse. Following up now meant “speed it up” and answer me—NOW!

Cell phones are now Smart phones—little hand held computers that can do everything (and more) than those desktops we were tied to for email. Not only can you phone, but you can answer email, text, tweet, post, search the net, send attachments, take photos, and many more. You can start your car, monitor your home security system, find a restaurant and even process credit card payments. Following up and responding now is done in an instant, and the expectations are the same. Let a few minutes go by, and you’ll get another message asking if you got the first one.

Following up has no proper location, either. Business can be conducted anywhere – car, office, shopping. I’m sure someone will come up with a cell phone you can use in the shower.

Technology has given communications new tools and new meanings for old practices. Not everything is best done electronically, though. Sending handwritten thank you notes, following up after an interview, or sending a hard copy of your resume for a job opening are those things still best done by snail mail. A personal call for condolences or to resolve an issue is best done in person or on the phone. Don’t miss the opportunities to make a personal connection in this ultra-electronic world.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for communicationsjobs.net. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients discover what they love and spend their life on it. You can read more of her blogs at communicationsjobsblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt.