Communications Breakdown
Over the past couple of weeks, I have stirred up how I talk to people. Sometimes it is important to kick the anthill because you never know what sort of improvements may occur. This is something that can be very difficult for me at times because I can be rather inert when my needs are met.
I was happy with the phone service I had even though the majority of calls I took were incoming and even then, telemarketing calls of a sort. Additionally, I was pretty happy with my DSL service. Fast enough for me and hassle free to boot.
However, I could no longer disregard the fact that I am more likely to save money where I to retire my land line in exchange for a cell phone. Of course there is the added benefit of adding some mobility to my communications. The term "benefit" is somewhat back-handed in this case because I do not necessarily want to make myself more available to phone calls... wherever I happen to be at the moment.
The actual benefits finally outweighed the perceived hinderances and I did some quick research on carriers and phones. Then I took a trip to an electronics store after work to chat with one of the reps.
Somehow, I do not think they were entirely ready for someone like me. I walked up to their area and said, " I think I am finally ready to buy a cell phone." This got a quizzical look, but they mustered through it on the premise of a guaranteed sale.
John stepped up to help me and before he went into a spiel, I had told him of the research that I had done and really only needed a few questions answered. Another quizzical look. To his credit, he did pretty well in keeping up with me as I haphazardly when from topic to topic.
Shortly thereafter, we were at the terminal getting me set up. I had initially intended to keep my land line number for simplicity sake, but as he was walking through the steps to see if it would transfer I found myself recalling how many different telemarketers who had harvested that land line so far. Rationality won out and I told him that I would like a new one instead.
Picking a new number was pretty exciting. I say this knowing full well that I am probably one of a scant few who feel that way. I think this is because I tend to remember phone numbers which, oddly enough , is why they went with a 7-10 digit numbering system. Even still, I wanted something that would flow well as you spoke it out loud and what I ended up with did just that. Hell, I think I even got John a little reved up about the whole process by the end.
With a new phone, new phone number and a new calling plan, I set out to relieve myself of the shackles of my land line...
I was happy with the phone service I had even though the majority of calls I took were incoming and even then, telemarketing calls of a sort. Additionally, I was pretty happy with my DSL service. Fast enough for me and hassle free to boot.
However, I could no longer disregard the fact that I am more likely to save money where I to retire my land line in exchange for a cell phone. Of course there is the added benefit of adding some mobility to my communications. The term "benefit" is somewhat back-handed in this case because I do not necessarily want to make myself more available to phone calls... wherever I happen to be at the moment.
The actual benefits finally outweighed the perceived hinderances and I did some quick research on carriers and phones. Then I took a trip to an electronics store after work to chat with one of the reps.
Somehow, I do not think they were entirely ready for someone like me. I walked up to their area and said, " I think I am finally ready to buy a cell phone." This got a quizzical look, but they mustered through it on the premise of a guaranteed sale.
John stepped up to help me and before he went into a spiel, I had told him of the research that I had done and really only needed a few questions answered. Another quizzical look. To his credit, he did pretty well in keeping up with me as I haphazardly when from topic to topic.
Shortly thereafter, we were at the terminal getting me set up. I had initially intended to keep my land line number for simplicity sake, but as he was walking through the steps to see if it would transfer I found myself recalling how many different telemarketers who had harvested that land line so far. Rationality won out and I told him that I would like a new one instead.
Picking a new number was pretty exciting. I say this knowing full well that I am probably one of a scant few who feel that way. I think this is because I tend to remember phone numbers which, oddly enough , is why they went with a 7-10 digit numbering system. Even still, I wanted something that would flow well as you spoke it out loud and what I ended up with did just that. Hell, I think I even got John a little reved up about the whole process by the end.
With a new phone, new phone number and a new calling plan, I set out to relieve myself of the shackles of my land line...