The Information Age?

[mcsmc]

Today, we have more access to information than we could've even fathomed 10 years ago.

Not only do we have the internet, but most sites on the internet will automatically lead us to information we wouldn't have thought to look for.


In addition to the internet, we can get information about anything now. CallerID, GPS navigations systems for cars, information kiosks at almost every store, information displays for everything about a show on your TV, etc.

However, we also have more people now that when we ask them a question, even if it's their job to know the answer (i.e. customer support, etc.), they reply with "I don't know", or "let me ask my supervisor".

What.

The.

Fuck.

Discussion points:

Do you think information is TOO easy to get now, and has thus made society as a whole lazy, or do you think the laziness is due to something else?

What steps do you believe we (as a society, laws the government can enact, or individual actions) can take to pull ourselves out of this lazified state?

And finally, do you find yourself in the situation described, or are you different?

What are your reasons for the way you are in this regard?

[Stormcrow]

Do you think information is TOO easy to get now, and has thus made society as a whole lazy, or do you think the laziness is due to something else?

I feel that there are far more contributing factors than just the ease of access to information. The first thing that pops to mind is the 'New Parenting' that has become the norm. Mediocrity is rewarded in schools, why would it not be acceptable in the 'real world?'

What steps do you believe we (as a society, laws the government can enact, or individual actions) can take to pull ourselves out of this lazified state?

I think that if more parents would be less complacent with their children, and if the schools actually had standards besides 'standardized testing', the next generation will be a far more productive society.

And finally, do you find yourself in the situation described, or are you different?

What are your reasons for the way you are in this regard?

No, I am not a 'lazified' person. I have been raised to believe that I am the only resource that can be depended on in my life. I provide help, and knowledge where, and when I can. I am raising my children to view life in the same manner.

Mediocrity is completely unacceptable in my world.

[Shade]

Do you think information is TOO easy to get now, and has thus made society as a whole lazy, or do you think the laziness is due to something else?

I think job security has alot to play in this. You use to be able to stick with a company all your life. You would advance within the company, You would work hard because you had loyalty to the company and the company had loyalty to you. Now you have companys who lay off employee's reguarly. Average factory job is now what? 2 years? People are fired because they have been there to long and make to much. It kills moral when someone who has worked with you for a year is fired, let alone for no real reason. Then you have the majority of the customer service jobs given off shore to indians who cost 50 cents an hour, or chinese who cost less. None of them has a formal education, nor are they in a position to care about the customer. Hell, half the time neither of you can understand eachother.

So what has happened is you hire the cheapest workers, and formulate automative responses. They then look it up on a computer. Everytime they are asking a supervisor, its a nothing more then a question that wasnt on the list of automative responses. i've had to write them out myself. No sense in training anyone, especially when your automative responses are worded perfectly to keep within the image of the company.


What steps do you believe we (as a society, laws the government can enact, or individual actions) can take to pull ourselves out of this lazified state?

demand knowledge customer service, and pay the price for it. Would you pay an extra 20% on your cable bill if they could help you out whenever you had a problem? Most people really wouldn't so it's not that big of a deal. It just seems when you need it it's not there. Advertising good customer support is an added bonus. From a marketing perspective its about equivalent to a free gift.

I think the goverment needs to get companys to chill on outsourcing anything that can be outsourced. The current policy's are complely ignored by other country's. There needs to be something in place in the US, like affirmative action for US citizens. In other words, if you hire 10 chinese guys you need to hire atleast 2 american's. The problem with that is most companys that this would actually effect enough to make a difference are all international companys, and either will base there opperations somewhere else where the US has no control, or already have. It's pretty hard to get past greed when working with buisness. Though some places like home depot are kicking ass because they have, and offer insane wages and benifits comparativly. Also you can look up most stuff on the internet. People are just looking up the obvious questions. Eventually CSR's will have to evolve to handle the questions you can't just look up on the internet, or die out.



And finally, do you find yourself in the situation described, or are you different?

Been on all sides. I've writen the responses for the chinese, i've had to deal with shitty customer service, I've also had a few times where the CSR reps where nice and helpfull. Fact is, 90% of the questions i would ask, i can just look up on the internet.


What are your reasons for the way you are in this regard?

I dont really worry about it. If its something important i'll figure it out quick enough. It really only bugs me when i have to call for something like the cable or internet, or trying to return a gift. Since i don't return many gifts and i rarely call my ISP it doesn't effect me much. I think i wait about an hour on the phone on average in any given month or two. So its easy to just think of it as a temporary annoyance. I just say to myself 'ehhh i gotta deal with this, oh well, i hardly ever have to do this, and i probly wont have to do it again for a while'