Mobile Moms, Dads, Uncles and Aunts

Yet another post from me. And a shorter one this time…I hope. (Yeah Sarita you had better be!) There’s no way of knowing is there, when you start writing? Anyway, today I’ve decided to write about mobile phones and how our parents and older relatives relate to it.

How often have we heard our parents say, “I don’t need a mobile phone! It’s just a fancy thing that you people carry. I can manage fine without it.” Upon further insistence, we hear, “Look, just leave me alone. I might lose it and anyhow I’m not used to it!” I’ve heard many of these comments from my father-in-law, whenever I’ve persuaded him to take my mobile phone, when he was on his way out.

There seems to be some kind of a fear among the older people, when it comes to so-called tech gizmos and tech appendages. Why? Is it just their mental block, or is it that these gadgets and devices are designed and operate in a way that only youngsters understand it better? I think it’s a bit of both. Or, let’s say one gives rise to the other. You have a mental block (for whatever reason) and so you don’t want to operate devices. You don’t operate devices; therefore you have no exposure and a mental block. Youngsters want to explore, get more exposed and consequently have lesser blocks. Thus, these things work both ways.

Is there an easier way to make our parents, uncles and grandparents relate to mobile phones? It’s not just about making the interface simple – right from start menu to various operations – but also to resolve their fears, inhibitions and discomfort. It should become second nature to them like the television and radio has. Everyone in the family operates it - right from the cute toddler, the brash teenager, the careworn housewife to the crotchety grandmother. Everyone switches on the TV to watch their favourite shows (the cute toddler of course would be busy switching it on when you want the TV off and switching it off, when you are watching cricket!).

Docomo is one of the few companies that has tried to address this issue, by bringing out a mobile phone just to cater to the geriatric users. But mobile phone companies in general are not too bothered about this category of users. Guess why? Targeting them does not make much business sense. After all, the older lot does not use the mobile phone all that much. They would rather target the young yuppies, or the young professionals, who are huge spenders and therefore would bring in revenue.

But, how can the elderly consumers be expected to fetch them money, unless they bring out phones that would specifically cater to their needs? The more they use, the more they will buy and the more money companies can make. It’s just a question of where and how to start this process.

Not all users, who are past 50 years of age, are ‘technophobic’. My dad and mom were probably the first in their generation to buy a computer nearly 12 years back. They motivated many of my uncles and aunts to go ahead and get ‘connected’.

Today, my parents not only use the mobile phone to send extensive SMSs, but they are also perpetually logged on to the net. They not only use the e mail, but they also download songs from websites, put up posts on their blog and yeah they also chat. In fact, during the Ganesha pooja they had their webcam and mic on and they ‘skyped’ with my sister, who is not in India. Not only did they chat with her, she also got to see the entire proceeding of the pooja as though she had been right there.

So, it is worth a try to get our parents, uncles and aunts to be comfortable with technology - and mobile phones are a good way to start. Am not saying, “Turn them into techno geeks”. As though they would anyway!