Last week, I was chatting with a merchant customer. He’d just come out of a great meeting with a new customer but as he got back in his car, his phone lit up: 7 missed calls, 14 WhatsApp’s, and 3 emails.
Just like that, the high disappeared.
He prides himself on being quick and responsive, so before he even returned a call, in his head, he’d already failed.
And I get it. I really do.
We live in a world where being constantly reachable is seen as a strength, even a requirement. Where speed and availability can sometimes feel more valued than thoughtfulness or quality and whilst AI can do so much to help us work smarter, when it comes to real human connection whether that’s B2B or B2C it’s still about people, conversation, and trust.
But here’s the thing: we’ve come to expect an “automated human” response. That instant reply. That unread message quickly turning into 2 blue ticks and … a reply being typed. And when we can’t meet that expectation it feels like we’re falling short.
It made me think of a retired colleague of mine trading back in the ’80s and ’90s. Driving from customer to customer, taking orders in person, then stopping at a phone box at the end of the day to ring the order through to the office and catch up on any messages.
No smartphones. No notifications. No constant pull for attention.
Yes, the pressure was still there but not the kind that dings every minute in your pocket or read out via CarPlay.
I don’t have a magic answer, I just felt it was worth sharing because I know many who are working hard and genuinely want to please others (we can’t help it) is probably battling with this too! hashtag
#WorldMentalHealthDay
