Communication. Learn it! Live it!

Let me qualify this rant before I get too far.  My parents were both communications majors, one taught communications at Ohio State University and the other a graduate of famous Otterbein communications program.  My mother was a lobbyist for victims of violent crime at Washington state senate and I spent a good portion of my high school as editor in chief for the many, many drafts of propositions and such that came through our household.  The point being- I may expect too much.

That being said, I don’t think it is to much for a perspective employer who has asked me over for three interviews, required hours of my time, and conjugated all the face-to-face lip service imaginable to manage to fire off a simple email with a “yay” or “nay” or “we are still deliberating.”  I don’t need a bunch of sunshine piped up my ass, just a short, succinct status message.  Too much to ask?  I think not.  As a matter of fact, it is because I know it is not too much to ask that I refuse work for companies that can’t communicate, I have seen the results and no one is happy.

Then again, I have been in the A/V business long enough to know that this level of communication is status quo.  If I don’t have money that you want, you dont have time for me.  It is sad, and embarrassing, but true.  The short of it is, Audio / Video salesman thrive of of the “elitist” attitude and demeanor.  The industry has hidden behind nomenclature and jargon, TLAs (three letter acronyms) and snake oil for so long that we forget that what we provide is at it simplest and most complex- communication.   People don’t want to deal with your giant “cool guy” attitude and your inability to prioritize them into your schedule.  Get over it, yourself, and your toys.  We are all worthy of your attention and when people decide to go to the big box stores, it is not just about price; it’s about avoiding the “attitude” that has plagued our industry.

I feel it is about time that we as employees, as people, start holding the companies we work for and with to a higher standard of communication and make them accountable for it.

~End Rant