the era of smart phones

[Christina]

Has anyone realized how long it can take to reschedule someone in the books these days. I want to preface this by saying how greatful I am to reschedule people and lucky to have the business BUT I think its so funny how long it takes now. What happened to the days of pulling out a PAPER planner? Now people take to themselves as they try to navigate their phones to get to the calender and fight with the "little brain" that is a phone. It does cut into my "between client time". Anyone get this a lot?

 

[Sam]

the era of smart phones

I have to say, I have noticed that in the grand scheme of things it seems to take people longer to make a booking with a "smart phone" than it does to look at a paper. However, I guess the clients upside is that their days are all scheduled in one small item which they check on regularly and it can send them a ringtone/alarm to remind them before the appointment.

I personally don't like blackberries, smart phones and the like... but that is a personal preference for me. I keep thinking about just ditching my cell as it is. Too bad I live in a city where if I break down on the side of the road, I can't trust the next guy coming along to be more useful than not... therefore I still hang on to the cell. Last time I upgraded I was required to have a camera on it (they didn't have any without!!!!). Oh, did I moan!

 

[Pompal 09.]

the era of smart phones

Idon't think it takes longer for folks to use those devices unless it is new to them.

I also use the Iphone and will NEVER not have it. I am addicted. Had it for a few years now, there is no going back. However, I still have a paper appointment book. I need (for my own mental issues) to see the whole week laid out like only the book can. LOL

 

[MissWeirdo]

the era of smart phones

Smart phones are here to stay, too many are addicted (as I am). I like having everything together too, and my phone reminds me of events (and sync it to the computer and I have reminders up the wazoo!)

Most people are fairly proficient, it just takes a little practice. I really don't think it takes any longer than pulling out a book and flipping through the pages. I admit I was a little awkward at first, but not I have it down pat.

I have an iphone and won't go back.

(BTW the ATT network thing is a partially due to a flaw in the iPhone, I read an several articles where Apple almost but not quite admitted it, and ATT almost but not quite said it, I think there will be a new phone this summer to address this that but I digress)

 

[pretty]

the era of smart phones

Cell phones and "smart" phones "remember" things for us. Nowadays, how many people have all their friend and family phone numbers memorized? How about birthdays and other important dates? And calculators... I constantly see people doing simple math on their phones instead of in their heads. The list goes on... all kinds of apps so we don't have to use our brains to think slightly harder. It's kinda sad. Are smart phones making us dumber?

If I didn't need one for work, I might not own a cell phone at all. I have yet to see an "app" that strikes me as essential. "Moderately useful" is the best rating I can give to any app I've seen to date. I enjoy using my marbles while I've still got them all.

 

[sunlightsky]

the era of smart phones

I broke down and nerded out and here I am with an iPhone. LOL

I'm like Pueppi - I didn't even want a phone with a CAMERA and I moaned too when they didn't have any phones without cameras. This is because I noticed that when they added the camera, the quality of the actual phone went down AND the camera was cr@p too, but I digress...

I must say I LOVE the features of the iPhone - the apps rock (I have a traffic app on mine that was very useful for those 300-miles-each-way trips between San Antonio and Dallas) and I like checking weather and surfing the net or Googling something and whatnot.

I will also say that I've NEVER sent a single text message in my entire life, nor do I plan to (ever) and I'm fairly proud of that LOL. Nor have I ever allowed clients or patients to schedule OR cancel via email or text - they have to call me on the phone by VOICE and leave a VOICE MAIL if I can't answer their call. I'll answer questions by email, but NOOOO scheduling or canceling by any other method than either by voice or better yet, in person.

Right now, our office doesn't yet have a landline (our phone phone does, due to wanting to halt further permanent damage to my hearing caused by long hours of talking to family and friends back when we used a cell phone exclusively - if you're curious about this and would like any further info, please pm me and I'll gladly share) so we're using a cell for the office (with headphones so that there's a safe distance between our heads and the phone). We had Sprint for 11 years and came to hate them. We've had AT&T for a little while now and like them.

Clients love putting their appts into their smartphone calendar so that they remember their appts - those are usually my most reliable ppl, too.

 

[Bobber Geldkraft]

the era of smart phones

Smart phones can definitely help businesses. I mean some businesses rely solely on mobile phones as their platform and have been very successful.