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Can you hear me now?
May 5, 2005
I was driving on Route 95 near the Boston-Rhode Island line last week when the driver of another car in the right lane veered into mine and then back into his own. He did this a couple of times before I gunned it and passed him. As I drove by, I glanced over and saw he had his cell phone up to his ear and was engaged in an animated conversation. He barely kept his eyes on the road.
Everyone, I’m sure, has a similar story. Cell phones are one of the best inventions ever made and they’re also one of the worst. We’ve heard horror stories of cell phones going off at theaters, plays and concerts. I’m sure you’ve seen this picture. You’re in a restaurant, enjoying a quiet meal, when a jerk at another table gets a call, answers it and proceeds to talk in a loud voice that irritates everyone nearby. You end up knowing more about this nitwit than you would ever care to.
A magazine last year asked its readers to name the worst places they’ve seen cell phones used. Believe it or not, one reader said he had seen someone talking on a cell phone during a wake as he described how the late departed looked in the casket.
I personally have seen a seminar ruined because some dolt answered his cell phone and talked on it during the presentation. My personal favorite, however, is when I attended the wedding of my best friend’s son. It was a beautiful ceremony and the bride looked lovely as she walked down the aisle with her father onto the altar.
Then the unthinkable happened. As the bride and groom exchanged vows, the cell phone of the bride’s father rang. It wasn’t a typical ring but rather the music from the Phantom of the Opera. And trust me, it was loud. Everyone— and everything—stopped and the call apparently went into voice mail.
A minute later the phone went off again. This time the bride’s father actually answered it, talked briefly and walked off the altar with the cell phone glued to his ear. No one knew what to do.
Finally, the ceremony ended and the father returned to give his daughter a peck on the cheek and probably a gift certificate to the closest Verizon store.
All kidding aside, cell phones are creating a problem for small businesses and distributors. For example, there was a court case not too long ago in which an outside salesperson for a lumber wholesale firm, driving on a highway and talking on his phone, got into a fatal accident. His company was sued and ended up paying $2.1 million to the late woman’s estate.
The company apparently had no policy regarding cell phone use by its employees, particularly outside salespeople. We’ll be having a story in the next month about why you need such a policy and how to establish one.
In the meantime, watch your cell phone use. Consult with your lawyer as to whether you need a policy. It might save you a legal suit down the road.
Posted by Jack Keough on May 5, 2005 | Comments (4)
In response to: Can you hear me now?
M.Lancaster, Pres. Lancaster Fluid Hand commented:
There is nothing that you can do for a BOOR. A Boor is someone who buys a cell phone, or other electronic gear, and never takes the time to learn how to use it. He also doesn't care that he looks like and acts like an idiot when he uses it. Almost every cell phone has an off/on switch. Why would someone have a cell phone on at a wedding, especially if he is one of the wedding party. If he is expecting such an important call, he could at least turn the ring to silent and use the vibrate mode. The voice mail can answer the call for him, and he can excuse himself and go outside to return the call. I recently was in an audience when the speaker's cell phone went off. Instead of just cutting it off so that the voice mail caught the call, this speaker answered the call. Another example of a BOOR. Anything he said from then on was on deaf ears. No salesman should be out there traveling without a hands free device for his cell phone. His phone should also be voice activated so that he does not have to look at the phone to dial a number. When he is looking at the phone, guess where he is not looking. Business owners are somewhat Boors, too sometimes. As inexpensive as new technology cell phones are, why would the business owner not want his salesman to have all the right tools to be the most productive salesman he can be. A policy is not the right answer. The right answer is the right equipment and the training to know how to use it.
In response to: Can you hear me now?
jkeough@reedbusiness.com commented:
I agree with your comments, particularly the last sentence. But again if you were to ask your lawyer or your company's lawyer I'd bet he'd tell you to have a written policy as part of your employee manual. It's really no different than having a safety manual/training regarding operation of equipment within a manufacturing plant. That's one of the first questions an OSHA inspector would ask following an industrial accident
In response to: Can you hear me now?
Beltman commented:
Companies should re-examine policies on this subject, specially when suprevisors encourage or force traveling employees to "talk & drive" as a way to make sure travel time is "productive". A while back there where reports of traveling salesmen being too tired because of travel time mandates. Now they are asked to perform unsafe acts like talking on cell phones while driving ( and writing notes, and eating on the run). Enough said . The only way travel time is productive is if get to sleep while traveling......yeah right !!
In response to: Can you hear me now?
Rich commented:
I never heard the term "BOOR" before, I like that. "A policy is not the right answer. The right answer is the right equipment and the training to know how to use it." Would it still not be in the company's best interest to establish a policy to follow this training and use the equipment correctly? A policy should still be in place. Someone can have the correct equipment and training, and still use the gadget incorrectly causing harm. The policy will then be there in writing to legally protect the company. A policy may not be "the right answer", but it definitely is a part of it.