Why emails and facebook messages do not work well for important time sensitive issues (“Drop and pray” someone reads it in time)

TL:DR Use voice-call, not facebook.

Sometimes the driver walks to meetings. The distance he has to walk is 3,5 km’s it takes around 40 minuttes. In winter it is cold but that just means you have to walk faster and generate more heat. You arrive at the set location for a meeting, you arrive 5 minuttes early, which in my book is already 5 minuttes too late. No one is present. Turned out, facebook, email or other form of “drop and pray someone will read it in time” messaging was used to cancel the meeting.

Drop and pray means, you send an email to your driver stating you are sick. Your driver of course rushes into the office and quickly starts checking emails and notices that you won’t be around due to illness.

The driver also checks his emails before he wakes up with the intention to see if he has to wake up to be on time for a scheduled meeting…. Since the walk to the meeting takes 40 minuttes, and most people of course check their facebook accounts before they wake up, a combined total of 80 minuttes and 7 km’s of walk has been conducted, and wasted, because… someone cancelled the meeting using an email or facebook message.

Emails do not work very well as form of communication in companies or organizations important messages like cancellations are at risk of being overseen. Time is wasted, people get anoyed, deadlines are not kept.

Show some consideration for your environment, people could be waiting for you, and since people are busy, they do not check their facebook account every 5 minuttes.

The driver used to do the same but realized it is absolutely not the right way of doing it.

Emails should only be used to transfer data that has previously been agreed on verbally, not to cancel meetings

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