For this assignment we are to evaluate the topics of the blog. I really enjoyed learning the system of blogging. This is not something that I have tried before and realized how easy it was. I think it is a great way to inform people of what you have been up to, what you are thinking about, and things that are on your mind. In class I particularly liked the assignment in which we interviewed three generations of internet use. This was very enlightening to think about what different people used the internet for. In my mind the internet is not used so much for recreation as for school and work. It was interesting to learn how people keep in touch online. After that assignment I decided to get in touch with family that I had not spoken with in some time. Although this was fun to check in with them. I realized almost instantly that email was a difficult way to communicate. I often mis-read what they had written and had to re-read emails again and again. If this was a face to face conversation I believe it would be much easier to carry on a conversation. The reality is that in an online conversation the person emailing you may send you something days later. By then I lost my train of thought and had moved on to new things in my life. This made it difficult to remember just what I had emailed to them. I often use the reply system so that I can go back to my original message. However this seems a little strange in emailing family. A second assignment I enjoyed was watching the movie, Got Mail. Because I have not dated online, I forgot how difficult dating on line can be. The truth is that we are emotional people and it is difficult to share emotions on line. It often seems ingenuine or is lost in translation. The text of Wood and Smith provided me with new terminolgy in which I can now explain communication problems with definition. For example I like the term, flaming. This is when someone emails you a nasty note or side comment to get a reaction. I have had this happen to me many times and was unable to explain to others what had happened. In the assignment that we did last week with an online challenge that we have faced helped me realize that these flames are not always directed at you, but are a sign of frustration with the system. The client I wrote about for this assignment was not angry at me but wanted to state their frustration. In not being able to talk to them face to face I had no idea why they were angry. In fact I took their flame personally even though it was not a personal attack. I enjoyed all of the assignments and I do not think there were any you should do without. This class has been very informative, and easy to follow.
Emily
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Difficult communication online
For this assignment I wan't to describe a few emails that I have exchanged with a customer of the accounting office I work for. Technically my title for the accounting firm is Office Administrator. However, I work for my mother (the accountant) and I am the only other staff in the office, so yes technically I am an Office Adminstrator, but I do many tasks such as cleaning, running errands, and customer service. Our firm during tax times prepares tax returns for both individuals and corporations and during the peak times are very busy. During this time we prepared a tax return for the person in which I was emailing. I sent the first email to inform the customer that their tax return was ready. Normally when I send these emails I also let them know if they whether they will receive refunds or if the owe taxes to the taxing authorities. I also attach an invoice for our work and let them know the terms of payment and delivery times. It is sort of a form letter because I email most customers the same way to inform them that their tax return is complete. So I sent the first email, shortly after I sent it over I got a response from the person that explained that he could not afford this tax bill, and that our firm must have prepared it the returns incorrectly, and that he would not pay our bill. He demanded that I sent him back the information that he had brought to prepare the return. I thought about it for a moment and decided to send one back asking if he would come in personally to pick it up so that we could discuss the return that we had prepared. In the second email I told him that I was sorry that he was unhappy but before I sent back the information I would like him to have a conversation with the accountant who had prepared the return. His response was simply, "Just mail me the information." In this weeks readings in Wood and Smith came to mind when reading their example of flaming. The email felt as though it was a flame, but I was sure that he was not angry at me but angry about the tax bill. The email surprised me so I took all the emails to the accountant and she offered great advice, "why don't you call him." At that point I decided she was right. I gave him a quick call to let him know that I would be glad to mail him the information and I was very sorry that he was unhappy. On the phone I opened a discussion with the customer about the return. I mentioned to him that I was worried that maybe we had overlooked something (however I was sure that we hadn't) and that we would be glad to fix it for him for no price before completing the filing of the return. I just needed him to point out what it was that we were missing. Once I mentioned that we would make adjustments to the tax return if he could show us what we had missed, he gave us a second chance. I scheduled some time with the accountant for their review of the return. In the end we hadn't missed any of the information he had brought us, however the accountant was able to talk to him about ways that he could pay the tax that was more reasonable to him. She also explained that she would like to talk to him about his business and tax strategies after tax season. He was very pleased.
In review of this communication I decided that the main problem the man had with my emails was the fact that I delivered the information so formally. He would have preferred a phone conversation in order to discuss the tax return. In the past I had thought that email would be the best way to give customers this information as they would receive it the fastest rather than playing phone tag with them. However after this particular customer I decided to try something new. I have divided the refund customers from the ones who owe taxes. I send emails to the refunds and I personally call the ones that owe. This has become a great way to open a conversation about visiting us in off season to talk tax strategy. This change in the way I communicate with customers helps them so that I am available to answer questions about the bill. The reality is that many people have emotions when it comes to taxes. It is always hard to predict how a tax payer will react to a tax bill. Therefore it is easier to be ready for their questions and help them if they have an issue.
I guess in the long run you could say the exchange of emails helped me realize how the clients may react. However at the time I was very frustrated by this exchange.
Emily
In review of this communication I decided that the main problem the man had with my emails was the fact that I delivered the information so formally. He would have preferred a phone conversation in order to discuss the tax return. In the past I had thought that email would be the best way to give customers this information as they would receive it the fastest rather than playing phone tag with them. However after this particular customer I decided to try something new. I have divided the refund customers from the ones who owe taxes. I send emails to the refunds and I personally call the ones that owe. This has become a great way to open a conversation about visiting us in off season to talk tax strategy. This change in the way I communicate with customers helps them so that I am available to answer questions about the bill. The reality is that many people have emotions when it comes to taxes. It is always hard to predict how a tax payer will react to a tax bill. Therefore it is easier to be ready for their questions and help them if they have an issue.
I guess in the long run you could say the exchange of emails helped me realize how the clients may react. However at the time I was very frustrated by this exchange.
Emily
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Generations of online communication
For this week you have asked me to interview different generations about their internet use. First I will outline their responses and finally I will respond to the interviews as a whole.
The 24 year-old
First of all I interviewed my brother, who is 24. He has recently graduated from PSU with a four year degree is GIS mapping. This career involves creating online maps of terrain and watersheds. He describes his internet use as vital to his education, career, and personal life. During the time he was in college he relied on the internet, and emails to turn in assignment, talks with other students, and take online classes. Internet and computer skills were a very important part of college life. In the past year after his graduation he has been looking for employment. He explained to me that most of the applications and resumes that are turned in to employers is online. He talked about his frustration with that process, because it was hard to get the interviewer to remember him during the decision making process. It would be much easier if he could talk to the interviewer in person. As far as his personal life he stays in touch with classmates, roommates, and friends via email. He also told me that he often purchases goods online because he could order exactly what he wanted without having to go to more than one store. He is very confidant in his internet use and is not intimidated by trying new software, or websites.
The 39 year-old
The second person I interviewed for this assignment is my husband. His internet usage is very different from my brother. My husband in school did not study or use computers for turning in assignments. The only class that even related to computer use was typing which was done on a typewriter. Of which he explains he hated the class and did not retain any skills in typing. He still to this day hunts and pecks while typing although I encourage him to try using more traditional typing styles. As for his work life he is a maintenance man for a local athletic club. For his job his internet usage includes ordering parts, emailing distributors, and communicating with other managers via email. He is often very frustrated by this part of his job. Although he can complete these tasks it takes him longer than he wishes. I think this is due to the lack of typing skills. He uses the internet personally to look up things. For instance yesterday he asked, "How long did the civil war last?" When he does not get an answer or does not know it he looks it up. The main thing he uses the internet for is purchasing goods. He often looks for very specific items that can only be ordered online. Although he enjoys the internet he does not think it is necessary or vital to his life in anyway. He explains that the same things can be done in person that can be done online. He prefers communicating with friends and family on the phone rather than online.
The 84 year-old
The third person that I interviewed was my grandmother. She has never been employed and never used computers for school. She talks about the internet strictly from a recreational point of view. Her main usage of the internet is to email her friends and family. The mainly email jokes, poems, stories, and pictures. She emails them almost daily and it is how she communicates with her friends. She is very hard of hearing therefore the phone conversations she once was able to carry have become more difficult. Therefore email was her perfect answer. She explained to me that she does not often surf the internet because she fears online viruses. She is still on dial up so anything she does online takes a very long time. I asked her if she had ever ordered online and she said that she did very little shopping neither online or in store. She explained that she was afraid to give her bank information online so she would just take down a phone number and call the company rather than purchasing online. She said that the internet had brought joy to her life because she reconnected with friends she had previously had difficulty communicating with. She explained however if the internet and computers were gone tomorrow she would not have any difficulty in her personal life. In our reading this week for Wood and Smith we read about cookies. I asked grandma if she knew what a cookie was and she said no. I then walked to her computer and deleted her cookies and explained what they were and the possibility that her personal information might be shared with companies in which she had cookies. She responded that she couldn't imagine how they would get her personal information. This seemed to really bother her. I showed her how to delete them after internet use and she seemed happy. I found this very interesting as she had no clue that her information would be shared when she was so careful with her personal information. This is a real fear of hers in regards to computer usage. She feels very vulnerable and works hard to protect herself. My grandfather is long gone and she often gets nervous that someone will see her as prey.
My response to the interviews:
The main thing that I learned from these interviews is that the more a person depends on the internet for work, school and personal life the more skills they have. However when they depend on online communication their social skills change. For instance my brother rarely talks to anyone on the phone. He explains that email is so much easier. In a face to face conversation he does not have difficulty however his preference to online communication has changed. I believe the older generations use of the internet differs for everyone. For my husband and grandmother they have found a way to be updated on their internet skills, but do not prefer it to face to face communication. I am not sure which is the best way as I am in the middle. I use email to relay facts, such as confirming appointments, information sharing, and quick messages to other staff. The real conversations seem best in the face to face communication. My hope is that future generations see this as important. It is very hard to bond via the computer. The idea of cookies did not bother my brother or husband but had a real impact on my grandmother. Wood and Smith explain that there is some limited danger in cookies but the real problem is the opportunity for people to know who is visiting their website. This was an interesting assignment because the three people reacted very differently.
Emily
The 24 year-old
First of all I interviewed my brother, who is 24. He has recently graduated from PSU with a four year degree is GIS mapping. This career involves creating online maps of terrain and watersheds. He describes his internet use as vital to his education, career, and personal life. During the time he was in college he relied on the internet, and emails to turn in assignment, talks with other students, and take online classes. Internet and computer skills were a very important part of college life. In the past year after his graduation he has been looking for employment. He explained to me that most of the applications and resumes that are turned in to employers is online. He talked about his frustration with that process, because it was hard to get the interviewer to remember him during the decision making process. It would be much easier if he could talk to the interviewer in person. As far as his personal life he stays in touch with classmates, roommates, and friends via email. He also told me that he often purchases goods online because he could order exactly what he wanted without having to go to more than one store. He is very confidant in his internet use and is not intimidated by trying new software, or websites.
The 39 year-old
The second person I interviewed for this assignment is my husband. His internet usage is very different from my brother. My husband in school did not study or use computers for turning in assignments. The only class that even related to computer use was typing which was done on a typewriter. Of which he explains he hated the class and did not retain any skills in typing. He still to this day hunts and pecks while typing although I encourage him to try using more traditional typing styles. As for his work life he is a maintenance man for a local athletic club. For his job his internet usage includes ordering parts, emailing distributors, and communicating with other managers via email. He is often very frustrated by this part of his job. Although he can complete these tasks it takes him longer than he wishes. I think this is due to the lack of typing skills. He uses the internet personally to look up things. For instance yesterday he asked, "How long did the civil war last?" When he does not get an answer or does not know it he looks it up. The main thing he uses the internet for is purchasing goods. He often looks for very specific items that can only be ordered online. Although he enjoys the internet he does not think it is necessary or vital to his life in anyway. He explains that the same things can be done in person that can be done online. He prefers communicating with friends and family on the phone rather than online.
The 84 year-old
The third person that I interviewed was my grandmother. She has never been employed and never used computers for school. She talks about the internet strictly from a recreational point of view. Her main usage of the internet is to email her friends and family. The mainly email jokes, poems, stories, and pictures. She emails them almost daily and it is how she communicates with her friends. She is very hard of hearing therefore the phone conversations she once was able to carry have become more difficult. Therefore email was her perfect answer. She explained to me that she does not often surf the internet because she fears online viruses. She is still on dial up so anything she does online takes a very long time. I asked her if she had ever ordered online and she said that she did very little shopping neither online or in store. She explained that she was afraid to give her bank information online so she would just take down a phone number and call the company rather than purchasing online. She said that the internet had brought joy to her life because she reconnected with friends she had previously had difficulty communicating with. She explained however if the internet and computers were gone tomorrow she would not have any difficulty in her personal life. In our reading this week for Wood and Smith we read about cookies. I asked grandma if she knew what a cookie was and she said no. I then walked to her computer and deleted her cookies and explained what they were and the possibility that her personal information might be shared with companies in which she had cookies. She responded that she couldn't imagine how they would get her personal information. This seemed to really bother her. I showed her how to delete them after internet use and she seemed happy. I found this very interesting as she had no clue that her information would be shared when she was so careful with her personal information. This is a real fear of hers in regards to computer usage. She feels very vulnerable and works hard to protect herself. My grandfather is long gone and she often gets nervous that someone will see her as prey.
My response to the interviews:
The main thing that I learned from these interviews is that the more a person depends on the internet for work, school and personal life the more skills they have. However when they depend on online communication their social skills change. For instance my brother rarely talks to anyone on the phone. He explains that email is so much easier. In a face to face conversation he does not have difficulty however his preference to online communication has changed. I believe the older generations use of the internet differs for everyone. For my husband and grandmother they have found a way to be updated on their internet skills, but do not prefer it to face to face communication. I am not sure which is the best way as I am in the middle. I use email to relay facts, such as confirming appointments, information sharing, and quick messages to other staff. The real conversations seem best in the face to face communication. My hope is that future generations see this as important. It is very hard to bond via the computer. The idea of cookies did not bother my brother or husband but had a real impact on my grandmother. Wood and Smith explain that there is some limited danger in cookies but the real problem is the opportunity for people to know who is visiting their website. This was an interesting assignment because the three people reacted very differently.
Emily
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
