The Tribune

By D’ARCY RAHMING

The other day I was sitting at home relaxing and reading my e-mail on my desktop computer. I saw that a friend of mine was also online, so I asked her what was up and whether she and her husband wanted to see a movie later with my wife and I. She replied that she would ask him, but she could not right now because she was in church. I was shocked. The idea of being connected has so invaded our lives that even really sensible people seem to have crossed the line on reasonable usage.

First, confession time. I have the cheapest phone available. It can basically make phone calls and receive text messages. I found out the other day by accident that you can use it as a radio, too.

The average teenager would be absolutely mortified if all they had was my phone. I would not be a cool kid were I in that age group. It is not that I am a dinosaur; it’s just that I am involved in so many things, my productivity demands that I focus when I am doing something, such as writing this article.

This means that if I am talking to a client, I never interrupt them to take phone calls or texts. I wish my clients would return the favour. I personally think it is awkward to set a meeting time, only for the client to spend most of the time with their attention divided. So, my rule for formal presentations is that you stop all calls and all texting so we don’t waste one another’s time.

This type of behaviour starts early, and although some people are trying to fight it, it seems as if they are up against a losing cause.

For example, my friend’s son can text with the phone in his pocket. This is a skill he developed in avoiding detection from teachers ,who would eagerly confiscate the phone if they realised he was carrying on a conversation while their class was continuing. My son told me that I have to realise the average teenager’s first phone is a smart phone. And the phone has become a consumer device, with persons buying two per year as the styles change.

We have a phone culture that is great for marketers, although many think it is disastrous for the socialisation of our people. It may surprise you that I have a different take on it. This gives churches, classroom and the dinner table at home the perfect opportunity to put forward what is appropriate behaviour for mobile phone use. And, more importantly, why it is appropriate.

Churches should not just say: ‘Please turn off your cell phones’. They should say: ‘The Word of God is being spoken, so out of respect turn off your cell phones.’ At the dinner table, this is the perfect time to say:’Concentrate on the people at the table, so turn off your cell phone.’

Maybe this should be obvious but it is not. Now, after having said all this, I will get down off my soap box and, in my next article, address ways that every business should ethically utilise this phone culture to maximise their sales.

NB: D’Arcy Rahming holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. A lecturer at the College of the Bahamas, Mr Rahming has clients in general insurance, the retail, health and medical fields, sports federations and financial services. To receive his marketing newsletter FREE go to http://darcyrahming.com