Christopher V. Flett

I’m taking some time away from the dreaded blackberry this week. I remember back in 1995, I was working on a political campaign and I had a cell phone. I thought I was hot shit and would have it in my hand all the time. It was status back then. Now I have two cell phones, a blackberry, and a monthly bill that circles $500.00 That cool toy has become a leash in business. People assume that because you have a blackberry, they can email you any time of day or night and you should respond in seconds. No, I will not imitate Pavlov’s Dog and bark every time that annoying little red light starts to flash. Instead, I will stop forwarding my email to it, use it only to check restaurant reviews, and give it an overdue ‘time-out’. Will the businesses come crashing down? Will partners revolt and start burning crosses? I don’t think so, but like anything in business, you need to see if things ‘hold water’ by testing them. Let the testing begin…