Fun Fines

We all understand the fun fine system; where you're 'fined' £1 if your phone goes off during the meeting.

But I've noticed a trend whereby those with Blackberrys leave them on silent and check their emails during the meeting, particularly during the 40 second round.

I've even been at meetings where attendees don't book 1-2-1 appointments because "they want to deal with their emails", or choose to go out and make calls.

IMHO this is disrespectful to other attendees; in fact it verges on rudeness. I am fully aware that business comes first, but think that there are boundaries, and that this is crossing them.

Accepting that I'm in full "Grumpy Old Man" mode today - I wondered what others feel.

You've got to feel sorry for them if they can't put their crackberry down for an hour.

However it does make a mockery of the system & chaos for the meeting if people start picking & choosing what bits to do - sign of the times really.

I'm with you Nigel, people wouldn't do it with their top customer so why should they do it at a 4N meeting. Downright RUDE!

It may be that their new "top customer" is in that very room and they miss them because they are too busy replying to emails

Spot on Nigel...what some people struggle to realise is that networking (and business) is not about you it's about them (ie. the other people in the room)...(apologies to those nice people at 4N Daventry who might have heard that in my 4sight this morning)

Cheers

Gary

Of course it does and while you're at a 4N meet, that's your main business, at that moment.

An interesting thread! I have noticed one individual who does this all the time. It is amazing how one rude person not paying attention to others in the meeting can alter the atmosphere, particularly when there are small numbers at a meeting.

Don't appear to have one to ones either. I think their emails are more important. I think it's supposed to indicate that they are above and beyond normal courtesies.

You say grumpy old man like its a bad thing?

Im the one on the crackberry in the 40 seconds rounds but I defo have the three meetings as it would be rude not to... and I am listening while typing

Correct me if I am wrong but are the 3 x 1-2-1's a main reason for attending?
I might just have got this all wrong of course!

Then there are many who have also got it wrong! Do those who are so selective about which parts of the meeting are worthy of their attention really expect full attention from the rest of us? Great topic Nigel - well worth the airing!

If they wouldn't treat their customers like that then they shouldn't do it at the meetings. I thought the idea of 4N was to NETWORK! As for someone typing while I'm talking - think I might be a bit miffed at that.

Suzi

I think it's both rude and disrespectful to the other people at the meeting. They're not networking, they are at a network meeting.

The breakfast meeting only intrudes on one hour of most peoples' working day (or maybe a bit longer to allow for travelling). There are very few businesses that would need such an immediate response. We all appreciate that on rare occasions something may be urgent, but it is rare.

Would they do this in a meeting with a new customer? Well they are in a room full of potential customers, what sort of impression is it giving them? Why would you feel compelled to do business with them, or refer your family/customers to them? Why would you want to get to know about them and their business? They're obviously not interested in you and yours!

Good one Nigel

Everyone, on entering the room, should put their mobiles on a seperate table. A check can then be done by the group leader for missed calls at the end of the meeting. Any that make noise £1 and any that have missed calls, 10p each.

Nothing worse than people checking their phones/ blackberrys when people are doing the 40 second round.

We have something similar in the Midlands, but we all make people put their car keys into a big bowl lol

we don't get the problem down in devon every one wants their 3 appointments but i do see a few poeple tapping away on their phones every so often, i find it rude dueing the 4 sight because that person as put effert into their talk.

Our charity chairman attened the meetings, and he has been calling mobiles of the attendees to raise funds

The other thing i do with the fines, we go harsh on the 40 sec because some people where abusing it, but then we found others got scared and where doing under 20 sec so i said that i would fine them for under 20 and over 40 sec and funny thing is that every one done better and hit around 40 secs which i think is good.