I've always considered myself somewhat fearless when it comes to buying the latest technology and gadgets. Naturally, some things work better than others. So, as a self-confessed technogadget-phile it may come as no surprise when I tell you how excited I was to get a phone system with Talking Caller ID. Now, thanks to the latest innovations in text-to-speech technology, I could screen calls from any location within earshot of the unit. Yet after only a few days, it became abundantly clear that there were problems.
First, there were major issues with pronunciation. A call from "American Window" was translated "American Wino" Second, simple abbreviations and three-to-four letter acronyms were "read" as words. You can probably guess what "SHMT INC" does to the poor system.
Interesting concept. Yet the execution leaves something to be desired for a number of reasons not the least of which is the reality that a system smart enough to correctly interpret complex, multisyllabic names and distinguish between acronyms and real words is going to cost far more money than I am willing to pay and may take tens of seconds to process each incoming call. It's simply not the great pairing of technology and function I thought it might be and so now, the system offers more entertainment value than efficiency.
Often in the clamor to stay on the bleeding edge, many organizations rush to adopt the latest trend without asking basic questions about "fit" - audience, internal culture and brand.
Whether it's blogs which are blogs in name only or fundamental misunderstandings about how an organization should use technology to connect with its own workforce, time and time again we see tactics disconnected from strategy. Gadgets and widgets are stapled onto often incorrect assumptions about the way customers and employees actually use technology today; hoping that by leaping onto the bandwagon they can bypass the learning curve and cultural changes necessary to support the new approach.
It may be more productive to begin a discussion on web-based communications not at the "toolbox" considering blog platforms and social media networks but rather asking fundamental questions about approach and objectives.
Along these lines, Warner and I will be providing a series of posts in coming weeks on the development of internal communications networks (like intranets) and explore some of the questions and challenges they present.
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