IT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Industry insights. And other brain fuel!

Get J2 updates delivered straight to your inbox!

Sign up to get the weekly Friday Food for Thought email & the quarterly PULSE email.

Sign Up For Updates!
Categories

Money, money, money…

It Staffing Agencies

I recently saw a news segment about a town in Sweden that is almost cashless. As a matter of fact, Sweden is on the forefront to become the world’s first cashless society by the year 2023.  While this might seem like an aggressive plan, it almost seems logical. How often do you pay with cash? These days, it seems like most transactions occur with either a credit or a debit card, or even just by hovering your phone or watch over a payment portal! We send our friends and family money through applications like Venmo rather than writing out a check or taking cash out. Overall, it’s just more convenient. Technology is wonderful a tool.

These new developments are preferable and easy to use for most of us, but what about those who didn’t grow up in the digital age? The reason this small town is only almost cashless is because the older generation is still fighting the trend. I suspect that they will hold out as long as possible, but in the end the new generation will win. For folks more comfortable using cold cash to pay for things, sending money virtually through an app or a plastic card might be daunting. Like the difference between turning the pages in a paperback book vs. swiping right through a book on your Kindle or tablet, there is something to be said about touching and feeling something in your hand that is cold. Or, maybe it’s a generational thing.

Just because you have done it that way in the past does not mean that it should always be done that way. But, as new innovations come to light, we must remember to be patient with those who might not be on board right away. We all have stories about teaching our parents to use cell phones, texting and taking pictures, etc. I am sure they resisted at first and now they are experts at it and probably overdo it to the point of annoying you.  Change can be shocking at first if it occurs all at once. Sometimes the best changes happen subtly, where you don’t even realize there is a change happening until suddenly, you realize you’ve started using Venmo more than an ATM ?.

 

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

 

Have a great holiday weekend

 

Vijay

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email