Thursday, March 22, 2012

More technology, more work


The more technology we use, the more time we spend at the workplace, according to an old-timer.

BC: Hey, what’s up? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for a while…

AD: Work’s pretty hectic… I’ve been coming home late almost every day.

BC: Despite having a table full of gizmos to help you?

AD: What do you mean?

BC: During my times, we had typewriters on our tables. Everything was manual - accounts had to be written in huge ledgers, there was no CAD software for R&D, no CRM or SCM packages... And yet we stuck to reasonable working hours.

AD: As technology evolves, one needs to ring in the changes…

BC: Forget ringing in changes, you could hardly hear telephones ringing back then. Phones were considered a hindrance and there was a lot of hesitation to have one on every table - there were departments that had just one common phone for everyone.

AD: So what did people do to stay in touch - eavesdrop?

BC: Perhaps we didn’t need technology to stay connected. Today, you probably need social networking sites.

AD: Research has revealed that social networking sites pose a threat bigger to productivity than porn. Apparently, for every company that bans porn in the US, there are 12 that restrict access to social networking sites.

BC: Banning porn sites is futile because you can still bring a Playboy magazine to work. But try bringing along 450 friends to chat with...

AD: It’s not just about chatting; the younger lot is also into serious gaming…

BC: So employees are fighting Mafia Wars instead of fighting competition and are growing crops instead of growing the market.

AD: So why blame technology for it? Employees should be more responsible. Just because the PC stands for ‘Personal Computer’ doesn’t mean that it can be put to personal use at work.

BC: Perhaps companies should lay down rules about…

AD: Most organizations impose firewalls or offer restricted access to mail and internet.

BC: Just blocking access to the internet or to social media won’t help because employees can message, tweet and create posts using their smartphones…

AD: With Smartphones, we can now work from anywhere. Could you even imagine working from home during your days?

BC: I can’t, simply because it’s such a horrifying thought! Smartphones, laptops, tablets… Who on earth would want to bring their office home?

AD: But these gadgets help in multi-tasking …

BC: Apparently Bill Gates had three screens in front of him - one to check mail, another to browse the net and the third for his correspondence…

AD: I can’t imagine asking my boss for three monitors…

BC: He’ll probably tell you that if you wanted to stare at multiple screens all day, you could find a job as a salesman in a TV showroom.

AD: But technology does help employees save so much time at work…

BC: Is that why you are working late every day?

AD: Do you mean to say that before computers and the internet, productivity was 100%?

BC: No, but at least we used to get back home early to crib about work and the boss to our family and friends. Today, even that’s done from the workplace, possibly on Facebook or Twitter.

AD: However, I don’t think that limiting access to social networks is an answer.

BC: The problem is not about organizations offering employees unlimited access to technology- it’s about technology offering organizations unlimited access to employees…

AD: Why do you say that?

BC: Because you spend more time with wi-fi than you do with your wife.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Fast - but can’t last


The more advanced the technology, the lesser the lifespan of a product, claims an old-timer.

AD: Hi, where are you taking that fan?

BC: This is the third time it’s going for repairs. And it’s hardly a year old.

AD: You probably keep it on all the time.

BC: Don’t get me started… My other fan is almost 30 years old and works like a...

AD: …breeze?

BC: It’s not funny. Today’s ads talk about how products are made with the latest technology, but they just don’t last.

AD: Listen, your fan could have been a faulty piece, but…

BC: It’s not just about fans… Your Dad’s Lambretta scooter lasted for decades, as did your first TV or any other gadget.

AD: But they’re all outdated now.

BC: The only reason people changed their black and white TVs was because colour TVs came into the picture, not because their old TVs stopped working. The same goes for music systems that played audio tapes, until CDs came along…

AD: Maybe customers don’t want to hold on to their gizmos for long. Take mobile phones for instance…

BC: My old Nokia 3110 and 6610 went on for years…

AD: Who would want to keep a phone for more than a couple of years? Smartphones today, smarter phones tomorrow…

BC: That’s not the point. If new technology is meant to be superior, why does it not translate into better quality products?

AD: Of course it does. Take cars for example. Haven’t features like precision steering, disc brakes and safety parameters resulted in better cars today, compared to the ones manufactured a few decades ago?

BC: Not a week goes by without an automobile major recalling tens of thousands of its models to replace or repair a faulty part.

AD: As Ford famously declared, you should choose a vehicle that’s ‘built to last’.

BC: That tagline reminds me of your granddad’s ancestral house – it’s almost a century old and is still standing strong. Compare it with today’s buildings that develop cracks and leaks in a matter of years.

AD: Just because a couple of builders do a bad job…

BC: Hold on, is this all that you can achieve with CAD solutions and simulation software? Paints, roofing, waterproofing, insulation - everything's become better with technology, and yet the houses don't stand for as long as they used to...

AD: Listen, old-timers like you want everything to be picture-perfect…

BC: Even our pictures were better than yours. The black and white pictures of your dad’s wedding are still intact, but your college snaps have already yellowed and faded despite the latest technology in printing, developing, resolution…

AD: During your times, technology wasn’t evolving as fast as it is today. Maybe people had to hold on to their existing TVs and scooters until the next big thing came around…

BC: How can you use this argument to justify poor quality?

AD:  Perhaps today’s manufacturers are worried that people won’t buy newer products if the older ones lasted forever…

BC: Can’t they see value in the fact that good quality will lead to positive word-of-mouth feedback...

AD: ...which will ultimately increase sales?

BC: Absolutely! Right now, their only concept of value seems to be the figure on the price tag...

AD: It’s called planned obsolescence…  Create products with a limited lifespan and allow technology to phase them out.

BC: Isn’t that a pity?

AD: What do you mean?

BC: The latest technology can help sales go through the roof, but cannot stop irate customers like me from hitting the ceiling.