Customer Experience Podcast

Colin has been ghosted. He was surprised, considering he is married and has been for decades.

However, his ghosting experience didn’t come from a romantic partner but a professional one. Since ghosting appears to be spreading into many interactions, we thought we should discuss it here.

Ghosting, where someone suddenly stops communicating, has become more common, thanks to technology making it easier to cut off contact. It often happens online, like in dating apps, leaving one wondering what went wrong.

Even social invitations are not immune. Despite sending out monthly invites to friends, many don’t respond, which feels rude. The ease of digital communication is eroding traditional manners.

Professional settings aren’t spared either. Job candidates get ghosted by companies during interviews, and vice versa. It’s surprising how these communication norms are changing, and we need to stay aware of these shifts.

Take LinkedIn, for instance. Contacting people about products or services can take time and effort. Some think not responding is rude, while others argue it’s acceptable. It shows how communication norms differ across platforms.

Despite these changes, we should keep our communication personalized and well-researched. Understanding the norms of each platform and maintaining in-person connections can help avoid being ghosted. Following older norms, like sending thank-you notes after interviews, can set us apart positively.

In this episode, we discuss ghosting and why it happens. We also discuss how to navigate these changing norms with respect and awareness.

In this episode, you will also discover:

• What ghosting is and why it happens in interactions today
• What the primary motivation is for ghosting is
• How understanding the norms of each platform and maintaining in-person relationships can help reduce the chances of being ghosted
• An excellent, if time-consuming, strategy can yield the results you were hoping for if you want to access people who think ghosting is acceptable behavior
• Why Ryan almost lost a job because he isn’t a “Thank You Note” guy
• What type of response Colin will welcome on LinkedIn and which ones he will ignore