Allchorn Design

We seem to be in a stage of evolution where communication is at the highest point it has ever been, and while some embrace the connectivity brought about through telephones, mobile phones, Skype, email, instant messaging and social networking sites and tools like blogs, twitter, facebook, myspace etc. there are some that aren’t. And I mean “really” arent.

Funnily enough, I respect the choice of those on both sides of the fence. I’m more on the side that makes use of the new technologies, unless they annoy me or are done better by something else. Twitter for instance. It’s something I’ve never really managed to understand the need for. Perhaps that will change, but I find the concept of micro blogging to be a bit odd and unnecessary.

Coming back to the sheer volume of protocols you can use these days, I keep my communication to the following:

• Email
  In order of preference, this is on top of the list as it is the most traceable and effectively indexed form of documenting one’s communication.
• Instant Messaging (Skype & MSN)
  Generally I have multiple IM conversations open to various clients, service providers and colleagues at all times. If you know how to manage these conversations and cut off the ones that are wasting time, this is a very effective means of communicating. I log all conversations, so backtracking to he said, she said is pretty simple. Being stern and honest when you’re busy with tyre kicking friends is a must, and if done politely doesn’t harm your relationship (as far as my experience tells). If someone tells me they’re busy, I leave them alone. Or email them to respond when convenient.
• Telephone
  Thanks to Alexander Graham Bell, this device is still the tried and tested standard for remote communication 132 years after it was invented! Alexander’s photograph above.
• Mobile Phone
  Can be the most annoying device in the world, but it also saves lives and offers a 24/7 means of connectivity. Looking past the obvious calling and messaging features, I also use my smart phone as a web browser and IM client.
• VOIP
  Voice over IP would be above telephone and mobile phone if I lived in a country where the connection were a bit more stable. There are some people I know I don’t have any problem chatting to, but sometimes it ends up being a “can you hear me?… I can’t hear you… can you hear me now?…” schlep in which case I pick up the phone and dial their landline number or mobile. A pity really, and a fact that will hopefully change for the better in time… sooner rather than later.
• Fax
  If you really have to. And sometimes you do. I rarely send faxes, and I receive them as an email. This saves paper, and the related storage space, and wastage.

Well, those are what I use.

A (very successful) colleague of mine’s signature features:

• Mobile
• GTalk
• Skype
• Twitter
• MSN
• AIM
• Yahoo!

and another (equally successful colleague) features only his 3 website address. On which you’ll only be able to contact him via email, or twitter. Sure he has a different business model and this works for him. It wouldn’t work for me, nor for Joey (above), but different strokes for different folks.