Communication breakdowns can be the result of a whole swathe of hassles, from the telephones dropping out to your mobile dying or the Internet going on the blink. Or your written correspondence going wildly astray because either you or the Post Office got it wrong. It can happen and while it’s a real headache when it happens, there’s not a whole lot you can do about it. Especially if it’s the phones, as you can’t ring anyone to complain about it!
But there’s another kind of breakdown that has nothing to do with wonky technology. It’s the one where the person you contacted, either by telephone, text, email or letter doesn’t reply. Initially you are okay with this as it’s not like you are expecting an instant reply but after three or more days you find yourself starting to wonder. Firstly you go back and check you had the address right. Did you send it to the correct email address? Did you text to the right mobile number? After a thorough check you find that you did and so you figure the person you sent it to is either tied up with something urgent and will get back to you as soon as they’re free, is away for a few days or maybe has not had the chance to even see your letter, text or email as yet. Yes, I know that last one is a bit of a long shot but I guess it can happen.
So you wait a few days more until finally, in desperation, you call them and guess what? They received your correspondence after all and just didn’t follow it up. I have seen this a lot with job applicants; hanging by the phone or repeatedly checking their emails or setting up camp beside their letter box while waiting for that elusive reply that never seems to come. I knew one applicant who waited several days for that call back until it just got too much for her. A week or so had gone by (they were going to call after a few days apparently) and in desperation she called the company only to find the job had been filled and obviously not by her. Their reason for failing to notify her was that they had been too busy.
This happens a lot in the job market and it’s so wrong. But it’s not just on a professional basis either. You send a text or an email or take the time to actually write a real letter and nothing comes back to you. If you’re the type to develop a complex over this type of thing then you are probably on medication as I write and if there was ever something that was bound to bug you anyway, then it’s got to be that person who just doesn’t reply to you. You inevitably check in with them at some stage and they tell you yeah, they got it, but seem to miss the point when you suggest that maybe they could have responded. Their excuse is always “Yeah, sorry about that but I’ve just been so busy, you know?”
Yes, we do know because we are busy too! We have work, some sort of social life, families, pets, relatives, appointments and deadlines! We also have very full days and and sometimes have to bring work home but if we have taken the time to send you some sort of communication for whatever reason, then it would be nice to get some kind of reply! I mean, how long does it take to answer a text or an email? To make a telephone call or even write an actual letter? Okay, letters can take a bit more time I admit, if you actually put pen to paper but hey, if you really wanted to you could so there’s no excuse for ignoring us.
I guess the bottom line is that one day we just won’t contact you. It might take a while before you notice this but one day it will dawn that you haven’t heard from us in ages and you might even contact us to find out why.
And when you do, we just won’t bother to reply. Ever again!