After The Beep by Kathleen Heck
After The Beep by Kathleen Heck is an amusing look at corporate communications run amok and delivers bite-size stories using modern technology as the framework. No, it’s not Hemingway’s “For sale: baby shoes, never used” but the vignettes poke fun at many of the stereotypes that nearly all of us have encountered at some point in our life.
There’s the persnickety accountant who (among other things) demands that all receipts be scotch taped on white 8.5×11 paper; the demanding micro-manager who is never satisfied; the Pollyanna corporate communications types who try to put a smile on any situation; and the high-maintenance spouses who need multiple calls a day to comfort them about trivial problems.
The novel is composed entirely of corporate memos, voicemail messages, automated phone systems, and a few text message exchanges. It’s an interesting look at how communication has evolved with the advance of technology. Are we better at communicating with these new forms of communication? Or has it simply made it more complex and frustrating? I am reminded of a recent AT&T rant on the reign of error blog.
The speed of communication certainly plays a big part in many of the stories. There are many instances of a rush to judgment before having all the facts. Indeed, it’s easy in today’s society to get an email and fire off a reply before you’ve had time to take that proverbial breath.
However, I found myself wanting more cutting edge material since my days are filled with blog posts, comments, IMs and updates via Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter, Friendfeed and others. It made me realize that I’ve worked at start-ups for most of the last 8 years!
After The Beep brought me back to my corporate past; interning at an insurance company and de-bugging BASIC code on rates in my spare time; temping at PBS headquarters; working on a government account at my first advertising agency; and spending 5 years at a public university. I found humor in After The Beep because I had these experiences and now, frankly, do my best to avoid them.
In the spirit of full disclosure, the author contacted me, sent me a copy (for free!) and asked me to read and review After The Beep. Ms. Heck was also kind enough to share her thoughts and experiences in self-publishing After The Beep via iUniverse. This is a topic I hope to explore in the near future.
After The Beep by Kathleen Heck is a light, easy book (good bathroom reading) that will bring a smile to anyone who has worked in a corporate setting.
