While Atos Origin has said it wants to be rid of electronic mail in about the next 24 months, I still think ‘old-fashioned’ email has an important place not just in the enterprise but as a useful way of collaborating in our social lives.
It seems incredible that anyone should be talking about electronic mail as being old school, in some way antiquated or even nearing the end of its useful life, as Atos’ CEO and chair Thierry Breton seems to be saying.
Nonetheless, it does seem that there are times when nothing is quite as poignant, or indeed business-like, as an even more old school communication medium: sending a card or letter through the post, or picking up the dog and bone.
I personally wouldn’t send an eCard as a form of condolence if someone had just lost a loved one, for example.
I wouldn’t resign my position in an email – though one member of my staff a while ago thought it was a perfectly modern way of moving on. How very dare they. In such a situation I would have thought that a face-to-face or even a phone call would have been more appropriate in the first instance.
But what about Christmas cards: is sending an eCard considered a bit of a cop out, or perfectly acceptable? Does it tick the ‘green’ box by saving on card and paper, distribution and so on, or is it simply a signifier that the person sending it missed the Christmas post?
I’d love to hear your views, as well as any suggestions about the best eCard purveyors on the block – especially those whose revenues (if any) go to charity.
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Finally, I’d also like to hear from anyone who thinks an eCard sent via email is already outdated. Is anyone simply going to tweet ‘Merry Christmas’ to their Twitter followers, or update their Facebook status with a blanket Yuletide refrain? Answers below the line greatly appreciated.
Or if you are so inclined, tweet me at www.twitter.com/jasonstamper.
P.S. a Google result for the image search ‘father christmas ecard’ somewhat bizarrely brings up a picture of model Rebecca Romijn Stamos. Go figure – eCard makers must think they know their SEO.
