Last night while flipping the channels, I happened to stumble upon a re-run of The Office. It’s hard to pick my favorite episode, but this one, “Dunder Mifflin Infinity” is definitely among my favorite episodes. As Ryan the old “temp” announces the merger of Dunder Mifflin and tries to implement a new website, Michael Scott does everything in his power to resist the change. His weapon of choice to defeat the big bad internet website?- . Gift Baskets. As he explained to Phyliss, ” Gift baskets are… the essence of class and fanciness. They are the ultimate present a person can receive.”
While this is obviously a far-fetched idea, I saw some bravery and intelligence to it. Michael inevitably learns that he is unable to win over his old clients with cheese puffs and shortbread cookies, when their number one concern was being able to quickly order online. But Michael Scott was onto something- how depersonalized we have become as a result of the new technology processes that control our personal and professional lives.
If you think about it, how much easier is it to send a Facebook message, put up a twitter status, or text a friend than call them or see them in person? When you see a friend for the first time in many years, chances are you already are up to date on everything in their life thanks to Facebook and Myspace. As for companies, they barely even have contact numbers now, because everything is done through Paypal and responses are in email.
Last week, I had sort of “gift basket” experience when I ordered perfume from a website. The order ended up not shipping, and when I called to tell them what happened, instead of brushing me off or shipping out a new one, they actually hand delivered it to my house. This gesture alone made me want to go back to purchase more items from the company, and tell all of my friends and family about it. Instead of treating me like another order number, I was a valued customer to them and their actions proved it.
Although Michael went overboard with the Gift Baskets, he reminded us of something very important. Yes we have to embrace new technology to be successful in our professional and personal lives. However, we can’t forget how valuable a phone call, a lunch date, an in-person meeting, a hand-delivery, or a surprise gift can be.
This is important to remember as you graduate, start a new job and move to a new city. You may be a whiz at Emailing, or the ultimate texter, but the best way to improve your relationships between clients and friends is through direct contact. The next time you have to email a client, give them a phone call or request an in-person meeting. Instead of writing on your old roommate’s Facebook wall, give them a phone call, or plan a trip to see them in person.
As Michael Scott put it, “Everyone always wants new things. Everybody likes new inventions, new technology. People will never be replaced by machines. In the end, life and business are about human connections.”
Tags: depersonalization, technology, The Office
