Smart phones are wonderful tools that allow us to be in constant contact with everyone and everything. Car breaks down? Use your phone to summon a tow truck. Lost in a foreign city? Punch up a map. Feel like pizza? Order it online and pick it up on the way home. Want to catch up with a friend? You can do it from anywhere in the world. The caveat? “Anywhere” should not include places like movie theaters, spas and other places of business where it can be distracting and downright rude.
If we search our souls, we can probably think of at least one occasion when we have been guilty of dumb smart phone use. Who among us hasn’t suffered the embarrassment of neglecting to silence our phones, only to have them ring at the most inappropriate time. To err is human, and we learn from our mistakes. On the other hand, there are a few repeat offenders, who just can’t seem to grasp the effect they and their smart phones have on others.
The infractions run the gamut from texting during a movie, to brandishing a cell phone to make a point, to speaking loudly into the phone while working out at the gym. While dumb and discourteous ways to use smart phones abound, there are also some creative tricks businesses are using to solve the problem.
We’ve all seen the cut-to-the-chase signage, which states the obvious. (Or at least what should be obvious.)
(Of course, for those too hurried to read the sign, there’s always the picture of a cell phone with a bold red slash mark through it.)
Or you could borrow the strategy of one dry cleaner, who uses this sign, in conjunction with a pad of paper.
We know your call is important to you. If you need to continue your conversation, please write your request on the notepad provided, and we’ll be happy to serve you.
Of course, deciphering notes isn’t always practical, so there are other methods. A busy ice cream store uses humor to help focus its customers on their choice of frozen treat.
No cell phone use at the counter, unless your pregnant wife is at home and needs to change her order.
Humor can work wonders, but sometimes, a more serious tone is required, especially when large groups of people are affected. The policies in movie theaters, for example, pull no punches. The words of the recorded announcement may vary, but the message is pretty much the same: Set your phone on “vibrate” and don’t call or text during the movie. If it’s an emergency, take it out to the lobby. Some even add that if you don’t comply, you’ll be asked to leave.
Cinemark Theaters has found a unique way to use positive reinforcement to incentivize their audience. Interestingly, they’re using the very same technology that causes the problem in the first place. (If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!) They’ve created an app that allows moviegoers to put their phones in “CineMode.” The app dims the screen on the phone, instructing viewers to set it to vibrate. After the movie, they are rewarded by Cinemode with free beverages and discounted concession treats. Brilliant!
Last but not least, there are just some cell phone abuses that need to be addressed face to face. These are the trickiest. I recently witnessed the following incident while waiting in line for an excursion to Alcatraz. An eager tourist was waving his phone frantically in the face of a ticket taker. “I have a barcode, I have a barcode!” he exclaimed. Indeed, his almighty phone practically glowed with a barcode. The problem was he was in the wrong line.
Equally frustrating, some hotel guests approach their concierge with cell phone in hand, ready to debate whatever he or she tells them, e.g., “But it says HERE that this is the best route to take!” In cases like these, it’s important to remain polite while responding to their concerns: “Thank you for doing your research ahead of time. We like to rely on our local sources for up-to-the-minute information, and we’ve just learned there’s a huge construction project on that route.”
The point is that we need to address discourteous behavior with courtesy, finesse and patience. Smart phones are here to stay, as are the many permutations of potential abuse. I think tackling this issue is becoming a necessary element in employee training. First, employees need to know your policy and commit to upholding it themselves. Next, they should be fluent in clear, but polite, language when talking with your customers. Role-play is an effective and fun tool to help your staff become comfortable dealing with it on the frontlines.
What are some of the ways you’re dealing with dumb smart phone activity? Use yours to send me a comment—unless, of course, you’re sitting in a movie theater!