36 Hours is NOT a Proper Response Time

Do you reply to text messages randomly, days after you receive them? Are you really old, and have no idea why people use text messaging? In this fully-annotated PG-13 post, I will try to explain why you need to crank up your phone etiquette. Let's start with several of my least favorite cases.

 

The WTF????

Usually I'm more respectful of attempts to conversation, but this is just too much. If anyone can tell me what she's trying to say, I'll buy you a drink. In case you don't know, this is an iPhone conversation where my text is in green, and my friend's text is in white. Observe:

 

Come on - seriously? I really didn't know how to ... SKDJGSHKDJHKJFSDKSDGN

 

The Delay

I end up in a lot of confused text-conversations about nothing. How can you talk about nothing? Take this wonderful example:

Thirty three hours. Thirty three. 

(Kris is my English name which some friends use... because people tend to butcher Shenglong, or ask me 5 times if that's actually my real name. More on that some other time though...)

 

The Over-Emphasis

I love it when people text me enthusiastically; it makes me feel like I'm not wasting my time replying. Once in a while though, lack of originality and emphasis can be a little... silly:

I am tempted to model her O's as a function of messages received. 

 

Why Text Anyway?

There has been a lot of negativity surrounding text messaging - and how carriers make a ton of money from them. I had a brief detour in youth marketing at a major carrier, and I can testify that changing send-and-end users (people who just call) was a primary objective. However, I also used to be a send-and-end user.

In the United States, calling cell phones makes perfect sense, since you have nation-wide roamaing and long distance, just as if they were local minutes. This isn't the case in Canada though, and sometimes you get charged long distance, even when dialing in the same area code. The charges are so obscured, actually, that the majority of university students in Canada don't even know in what situations they would be charged for calls.

Add on background noise, multiple conversations, and texting in class or at work, and you have plenty reasons why texting is great. The main use of texting though, is the ability to carry on passive conversations. Texts aren't as long as emails, and it allows for quicker exchanges when necessary, and slower exchanges when material runs dry.

Maintaining a good text-conversation allows you to build rapport over time, and over multiple situations. You're passively inserting yourself into someone's entire life - and any good salesperson will tell you how important that is. The reason you want to have dinner with sales targets and have golf with them, is because you want to expand the field of exposure in order to gain trust. Texting isn't as good as being there in person, but it's sure a lot better than nothing. 

 

The 2-2-2 Rule

My obsessive use of phone and email has led to the invention of the 2-2-2 rule, which I often impose onto friends: pick up calls within 2 seconds, answer texts within 2 minutes, and respond to emails within 2 hours. There are obvious exceptions, but it's a rule of thumb to try and stick by whenever possible. 

More than anything, if it's important, I'll probably call you before I text you, and text you before I email you. Needless to say, I've been told to screw off on many occasions :)

 

Follow me on twitter: @zeteg 

Another chapter of The Tale of Eternity this week. Sorry for the delay. 

8 responses
I think you have problems. I see why anyone would be irate about those messages but you should never try to impose your rules onto other people. If you can't address it with your friends or people you associate with directly and it doesn't help...

A] Find new friends

B] Deal the fuck with it

C] You're the problem, eliminate yourself

This is coming from a person who would have the same issues you're ranting about.

This is meant to be a humorous post :)
There's no way I could ever adhere to your 2-2-2 rule and I've realized more people are going over to your side of the fence so I ditched the phone as to not give the expectation of availability.

I think technology has made everyone feel very important. People demand sub 5 second page loads, 2 hour replies to their tickets, 24/7 access to Twitter and Facebook, and 2 minute replies to texts.

When I lived in Ecuador and the shops would sometimes close because the surf picked up, people would just deal with it until the owners came back. I miss that.

I suppose some people just enjoy a slower pace.

great post. I think steven may be displacing some deeper anger issues on this comment thread...wow dude that was AGGRESSIVE! lol
What kind of world do you live in that you can stop whatever it is you are doing at the moment and "pick up calls within 2 seconds, answer texts within 2 minutes, and respond to emails within 2 hours" ????

Real, focused work requires concentration to the task at hand, and allowing "other people" to insert themselves into your daily life in this manner whenever they get the notion will distract you from "real life" - the business at hand, the people you are sharing space with at the moment, accomplishing a thing that is noteworthy and your best effort. When folks got answering machines (back in the day) they discovered it was convenient to screen calls and handle callers on their time schedule instead of allowing them to interrupt their work (or play - play can be cathartic!). Being technologically on and available might seem important and responsible when you are young, but is it sustainable for a lifetime? Your priorities may change. Something to think about.

"Tomorrow I want to go with friends out but I'm ashamed"???
Usually I'm more respectful of attempts to conversation, but this is just too much. If anyone can tell me what buy Acai Berry she's trying to say, I'll buy you a drink. In case you don't know, this is an iPhone conversation where my text is in green, and my friend's text is in white. Observe
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