The e - mail comes to the phone, the I-Pad or the microwave. Here are the most important lessons to learn in a world of digitalisation and new technologies.

Missed calls are a chance to live longer!

These telephones nowadays show you missed calls. The general believe is that you have to call back right away. Wrong! Absolutely wrong! A missed calls means the following:

• you didn’t get disturbed while having a coffee, a talk with your wife, sitting on the toilet or admiring a sunset. It gave you the peace to enjoy the important things in life.

• You didn’t annoy everybody with your stupid ring tone

• You can now check who called and decide to call back, ignore, call later or like me can’t remember who that is.

• A missed call gives you the chance to think before talking. You might not remember but long time ago if you wanted to talk to someone you had to go there and face him. On the way you had time to think what you might talk about. I know you cant remember but it is much more efficient conversation, more peaceful, more purposeful and respectful to the person you will talk to.

• Not calling back gives a strong message for the person trying to reach you. Either he is not important to you, he knows you don’t pick up while on the toilet or he realizes that you take time for him to call him back in peace. I never pick up my phone while driving – it just limits my concentration. Everybody who knows me either calls without knowing where I am and forgives me or if he knows I am driving – with the clear intend to kill me. Better not to pick up!

E- mail on the phone! Great invention!

E – mail gives you the same chance like a missed call. You have an inbox. That means it is in a box. Only when you open the box you can see it and answer ( if you want).

• If you open it all the time it doesn’t make sense to let it into the box from the beginning. You might have it written on your forehead so every mirror and shop window can tell you anytime whats app!

• Treat your e – mail like an electronic mail ( that’s what it is right?) Think again a little back. Years ago we were coming to the office. Checked the mail – answered or didn’t ( my favourite!) and than spend the time attending to business without being disturbed. So leave your e mail in the box and answer only at your pleasure. If people don’t understand tell them that you have a live besides your inbox. You work with people who need attention. Many understand – many not ( those who don’t are the ones who’s mail you can ignore in the future).

• Companies that request that you have your mail on the phone and answer right away – do not respect you – don’t have the balls to call – don’t mind to bother you with nonsense all the time and are just lacking management skills.

Apps?

Yes they are useful. But only if you need them. If they peep all the time or sing an Elvis song every time a new ones comes in the most romantic dinner will be a fiasco, while driving you might look at the phone and not the semi truck approaching on the wrong lane and the beautiful thought of buying fresh flowers for your wife will be forgotten because MacDonald’s just informed you that a new plastic burger has been created.

So will skimming through my mail I realized that I delete more then I read. I ignore more calls then I return. I am lucky because most of the times I don’t remember where I forgot my phone yesterday. When I find it ringing in some coat pocket it’s a missed call before I find the right coat. Lucky me.

I like to talk to people in person. Its more honest, satisfying and respectful. The tools provided today you need to use. You need to master. But never let them Master you. They can’t live without you! You can !

Author: Stephan Busch, Academic Director at the State University for the Humanities Moscow RGGU, Faculty of Tourism & Hospitality earned his Master Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, USA.

Stephan Busch has an invaluable and diverse experience in launching operations, business development and service training- for hotel and cruise companies in Asia, Europe, Canada and Russia.

www.itsjusthotelsservice.com, contact@itsjusthotelsservice.com