In the early days of Zoom (and Microsoft Teams), we often joked about how we all looked like the Hollywood Squares game show or even the Brady Bunch.
We would look through a meeting’s attendees and figure out who we wanted to call Marcia, Greg, or some of the stars from Hollywood Squares. We would then have a good laugh as we tried our hands at the new technology.
It was a big change for many (if not most) of us who have delayed and put off using technology. It is often still a challenge as we forget to unmute as we talk or have the sound turned down on our computers leading us to believe that “Zoom is not working”.
Even this month, as I attended a meeting of a public board I serve on, we adopted a provision to allow for “hybrid meetings” (in person or via Zoom). How long have we been doing hybrid meetings now?
Counter this slow progression into the 21st century by business, government, and many individuals of a certain age, with the sight I came upon on Tuesday earlier this month.
I ran by our Wise office to pick up a few things and dashed into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. In the kitchen was the daughter of one of our employees. It was a snow-delay day and to help folks, we allow them to bring their kids to work. We let them be in a quiet and safe area until time for school.
Hearing a young lady’s voice, I figured she was on a call. I moved in quietly so as not to disturb her. I was kind of right – she was talking – but she was on some app video chatting with several of her friends as they were getting ready to go to school.
Suddenly, I realized that rather than pump my chest out about being a “Zelle expert”, or how far our bank was advancing in rolling out technology, I was barely keeping up technology-wise with a third grader!!! A third grader!
Our efforts to get our folks ahead of the banking tech curve versus our competitors still left us far behind consumers (especially young consumers) when it came to their needs and expectations of their cell phones and apps.
Guess we will have to work harder and smarter to keep up with the third graders before they take over the world, then we can try to get and keep them as customers.
Stay Safe.
– Leton
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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
