Technology & Information Overload

As I finished reading Real-Time Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott, the main theme I took away was reacting in real-time is extremely important.  People are always giving glimpses into their lives through the Internet and what they search.  The use of technology allows companies to react fast based on what website that consumer has recently visited.  For instance, businesses are able to see if someone is looking into a specific product or service.  They can see that they asked for more information and are possibly thinking about purchasing the product.  By utilizing the information gathered, businesses can act in real-time and contact these specific individuals.  Through this, a relationship can begin to form allowing the customer to get the information they desire.  In today’s society, relationships are not always valued.  We lose that personal connection because we are focused on technology and what it offers us.  However, I think by creating these relationships, people may begin to trust a company and buy into its specific product.

When contacting an individual in real-time, it is important to not overload them with information.   People want short and simple answers.  They want to be able to comprehend the information without becoming overwhelmed in the process.  I think this idea can be utilized whenever an explanation is necessary.  For instance, if I have a question about a specific topic from a college lecture, I may go to see the professor in office hours.  Sometimes I get way more information than I wanted, causing me to get confused and slightly overwhelmed.  I’m not saying this information is irrelevant, but sometimes I just need the basics answered so I can continue exploring the topic on a deeper level.  Comprehension of basic topics will allow an individual to make connections to things happening in their daily lives. 

Overall, I think that it is important to use technology and social media throughout your life.  Technology is great, but we must realize that human interaction is also necessary.  People make up the world, and we must communicate in order to enjoy and live life.  In addition, sometimes less is more with information.  Many times a simpler explanation is better than a long, possibly confusing thought.  We want to understand the topic without spending the extra time processing the explanation.  Time is a valuable asset to life.  By reacting in real-time, we can take advantage of situations and be successful in the process.