Equal Sides

A Constituent is Dissatisfied

He had to continuously remind himself that it was a privilege to be in this position. Many others would endure far greater sacrifices for the opportunity to serve constituents. And yet he was privately frustrated, tired and sometimes almost overwhelmed with the magnitude of what was expected of him. The need was there, never satisfied, forever growing and expanding. But, the challenge was his to fulfill, and he had to demonstrate his worthiness to be deserving of the trust that had been placed in him.

Right now, Ardent Helper had a smile straight from Service Training plastered on his face, nodding and listening politely as the large, sweaty, angry man gestured expansively in his direction, repeating the same phrase over and over again with only slight variation. It keeps cutting out; it doesn’t seem real when it keeps cutting out, how can I get anything done when it keeps cutting out, what am I supposed to do? You have to fix it, you have to fix it now. I won’t wait, I want it fixed now!

Ardent’s nondescript features had always been helpful to him in his job. He tended to fade into the background, and his soothing words would usually placate even the most vexed constituent. Ardent spoke quietly in this manner now, reassuring the man that he would have a technician contact him immediately to speak with him about the problem. This did in no way reassure the man, however, who screamed Not immediately, NOW! Ardent repeated himself, speaking even more quietly. At this point, the constituent was no longer communicating, and he grabbed a folding chair and threw it at Ardent. The chair landed behind the counter, causing other Assisted Services personnel to dive for cover or run for escape.

Someone must have pushed the Support button under their portion of the counter, because four armored Guards entered the wide bottom-floor entrance of the ten-story building that dominated the City’s central area and tackled the man. Although the Guards’ actions were aggressive, their manner was mild, and they spoke to the constituent in soothing voices, explaining that they were there to help him and that if he would come with them, his system would be fixed more quickly.

As the man was being led away, still screaming, Ardent tabbed to Connected Entertainment.

A voice answered: Stream Promoter Enable Creativity. What do you require today?

Ardent Helper from Central Assisted Services. A constituent was just accompanied away from our facility. He was quite justifiably upset about more than intermittent disruptions to his preferred environment, and I am afraid I was unable to immediately correct the situation for him. I require that your office respond to improve his experience.

Stream Promoter Enable Creativity answered irritably: You say the constituent was accompanied away? Was he being violent?

Ardent responded, Well, I don’t know if I would use a difficult word like violent, but he was quite justifiably upset.

Enable Creativity stated flatly, The constituent was not being reasonable.

Ardent Helper was momentarily dumbstruck at this violation. All constituents have the explicit right to experience their preferred version of Connected Entertainment. I am afraid I must insist, Stream Promoter, that you personally serve this constituent by speaking with him directly at his living quarters once he has left his Guard companions, and that you must properly adjust his experience to match his expected levels.

Enable Creativity was deflated. Accept my profound apologies. Please tell me the deprived constituent’s address and I will correct this grievous wrong. After tabbing off, Enable Creativity swore quietly, mostly at himself, for responding so poorly and creating what would almost certainly be trouble for him – a reprimand at least—for his lack of control and poor constituent service. But, he had to admit he was also irritated with Connected Entertainment for their recurring system issues, which was almost certainly what was really behind this situation.

From his counter at Assisted Services, Ardent Helper thought, That was most unusual. But, at the same time, a part of him sympathized with the Connected Entertainment Stream Promoter. Serving constituents certainly required much from all who were blessed to be given the opportunity. But, it tried the spirit sometimes, yes it certainly did... As he thought these thoughts, he also turned, smiled and greeted the next constituent, who almost certainly would have a perfectly understandable request or concern that he would be very fortunate indeed if he could help to overcome.

The Designers Learn What They Need to Do

Mission Driven was emphasizing her point, landing hard on particular words for emphasis. She was not tall, but was exceptionally well put together, and her gaze was intense. She wore standard corporate attire – the one-piece light blue outfits that all Connected Entertainment staff wore – but her suit was wrinkle free and every seam was perfectly in line. She wore silver earrings, and her short brown hair was neatly combed. Greater Will is not just something we talk about, it is a way of BEING. I don’t care what is going on in your head about what you think we need, there is something much bigger than your opinion that is at stake. Greater Will MUST prevail, nothing must stand against it. Mission went on like this for a while. Foster Creativity was used to it, and for the most part she tuned the oft repeated lecture out. But this time she had to at least pay partial attention. Mission’s focus was on her this time. Foster was trying to manage Mission diplomatically and, unfortunately, she wasn’t going to be able to just nod her head and pretend to agree this time.

Greater Will is paramount, of course, Mission. We cannot stand against it, and we do not. What we are encountering now in this latest version of Crime Zone are increasing instances of dissatisfaction among logs with the detours away from the story line to the sponsored content. Foster paused, hopeful that she had made her point without being disrespectful. Her uncombed blonde hair hung in front of her eyes. She pushed it back. Foster was aware of the contrast between her appearance and Mission’s. Foster just did not – could not – prioritize her clothing or her hair. It just didn’t seem that important to her. But when she met with Mission, she would second guess herself. Maybe she should iron her suit next time...

Mission was continuing her rant. You will not refer to touchpoints by that reproachful term sponsored content. Do you hear me, you WILL NOT. Touchpoints are the manner in which we interact with constituents. Sponsored content implies that somehow the content is inferior to other elements of the environment. That is not an impression we EVER want to leave with the users of our services. Please correct your terminology in the future. Foster was appropriately chastened, and she looked around the table of the brightly lit conference room for support from the other members of her team. All but one were looking away from her.

Mission continued in a more accommodating tone. Describe the environment to me in its current evolution. What are the logs encountering and how are the touchpoints CONNECTING them?

Foster didn’t miss the slightly sarcastic reference to their company, Connected Entertainment, in Mission’s question, and she knew she needed to be careful now. Her goal at this point was to be just critical enough of the current version of Crime Zone to not make Mission too angry, but to get Mission to allow changes in and hopefully reductions to the number and kinds of touchpoints. Touchpoints, as Mission called them, were sections of the environment where advertisers (corporate sponsors) would try to connect with what the constituent, or log, was experiencing. The function of touchpoints was twofold – to insert the product or service references in such a way that the log either did not notice, or did not care, that the association was occurring, and then to encourage the log to use their credits to purchase whatever was being referenced. In practice, this was rarely completely successful. Logs’ figures could often be seen in Crime Zone standing stock still, a clear indication that they were stuck having to watch a touchpoint.

Stream Manager Foster Creativity was only twenty years old. She had spent her entire life at Connected Entertainment, safe within its confines and benefitting from its teaching and generosity. When she was a child, Foundation Driven, Mission Driven’s mother, had led the company annually to new heights of growth and achievement. It had been wonderful. But now there was Mission Driven. Foster could sympathize with Mission in some ways. It must be extremely difficult to live up to the standards that had been set by Foundation. Foundation had certainly tried to train her daughter well for her role, just like her father Enable Creativity had trained her. But children were often unlike their parents, as she well knew, and would go their own way.

Foster must have been distracted for too long because Mission now crossed her arms and looked at her impatiently. Well?

Foster recovered quickly. She tried to choose her words carefully in order to describe Crime Zone as sensitively as possible for the group, but also to highlight the current obstacles adequately. Crime Zone has evolved into a fairly disordered structure now. The logs have overcome most of the previously established rules and controls and have inserted certain standards of their own. The primary practice now seems to be that anything entering the environment must immediately be eliminated. That is entertaining for the logs, I am sure, but it is creating challenges for the Stream designers on my team. As you know, our current primary sponsors for Crime Zone are Household Security Systems and Daily Rations. Most of the security in Crime Zone now consists of various forms of explosives and weaponry created by the users. Rations, of course, are a fairly routine matter off system, and so extensive references in system in this particular environment can be confusing to the logs. I think that...

Mission interrupted. Yes, indeed, tell us what YOU think. After all, it is very important what YOU think. Foster knew she’d make a mistake and needed to cover quickly. My apologies Mission. Allow me to cite some statistics that may illustrate the current situation. Assisted Services support requests related to Crime Zone have increased 18% in the last two weeks. Purchases of security systems have declined 7% while we’ve increased touchpoints nearly 30% in that same time frame. Revenue is down...

I am well aware that revenue is DOWN, that is why I CALLED this meeting!

Yes, Mission. It seems that we need to take some action within Crime Zone – either reduce the number of touchpoints or even consider trading some of the sponsors with others that might be more compatible with this new evolution of the environment.

Perhaps your design team could focus instead on REINVIGORATING Crime Zone so that the current sponsors’ products would connect better with it?

This was getting tense. Foster knew this was an important moment. She could either save the team and her leadership role now, or she could lose everything and go back to maintaining environments, if that. She proceeded. I agree with you. Might I suggest that our team create new prompts outside of the current touchpoints that guide the logs towards actions that support Household Security Systems. I suggest we approach Daily Rations about migrating to another environment, maybe one that is more popular with constituents who like to alter their rations, for example. I would also suggest that we seek to pair additional sponsors with Crime Zone that could logically connect more closely with this version, such as Transportation.

Mission did not expect such boldness from Stream Manager Foster Creativity, but upon reflecting on Foster’s background, she probably should have. I am impressed, Stream Manager. Please proceed with that approach. I would like to discontinue this meeting now. Everyone, please return to your stations and begin work on these changes. Thank you. Please remember to do everything for Greater Will.

With that, the team rose to leave. Not you, Foster, please remain for a moment. Foster complied. Thank you for your suggestions today. I appreciate your efforts on behalf of Connected Entertainment and Greater Will. Please continue with your energy and your ideas. Foster felt the dismissal in the statement. Thank you, Mission. She left to return to her team, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

After Foster departed, a door opened and a thin man entered, as neatly dressed as Mission. Mission did not look at him, but stated flatly, Watch her, Purpose, she’s obnoxious and opinionated, just like her father. Purpose said, Yes Mission, and closed the door behind him as he left the room.   

Father and Son Review Their Day

Ardent Helper examined his options for spices in his kitchen. He needed a better choice to improve his Daily Rations than what he had been using lately. After a couple of minutes, he settled on a slightly spicy flavor and added it to the concoction in his bowl. He put the mixture into the heating unit, turned it on, and waited.

His living quarters were sparsely decorated - a one room place with the small kitchen area Ardent was in now, a pulldown bed in the corner, a sofa, and a small bathroom. On the stand by the sofa was a picture of a pleasant woman with a young boy, but no one else was at home with him now.

When Ardent was halfway through eating his meal, his doorbell rang. He rose slowly and walked the short distance to the door and opened it. A tall, thin, earnest looking young man greeted him. Hello Father, how are you this evening?

Hello Zealous, it is nice to see you! Come in. Ardent moved away from the door and let his son enter. They both crossed to the sofa and sat down. What is new for you? Ardent asked.

I do have some news to share. But, I would like to speak first about what is going on with you. I was informed that there was some trouble at Assisted Services today. Do you want to talk about it? He looked at his father with sincere interest and concern.

Ardent looked back and his eyes narrowed. What did you hear?

Zealous Helper responded with mild alarm. Nothing, really, just that your service with a constituent was interrupted, that you had an adverse narrative with CE, and that you responded by demanding a personal service visit with the constituent.

Ardent took it all in. I think you heard reasonably accurately. What do you think about all of that? He didn’t look directly at Zealous but stared straight ahead.

Zealous paused and responded tactfully. I think I can say that everyone I spoke with was very sympathetic to you and the tremendous stress you were experiencing in attempting to satisfy the constituent’s needs. He paused, then continued. It’s just that...I believe the consensus was that...well...it did take an awfully long time to resolve, and it did involve many service providers. Zealous looked down.

Ardent stated intently at his son. I guess I may have been feeling less pleased than I should have with the opportunity to serve the constituent, and I think I may have let those feelings impact my dealings with CE in particular. Ardent kept looking at his son.

Zealous responded evenly, putting his hand on his father’s shoulder. Father, I know it is difficult, but I believe in you. I know you can control your impulses and get back the joy you first learned in Service Training. I will do anything to help that I can, just ask me for anything you need.

Ardent’s tears reflected his strong emotions. Your mother would have been so proud of you. I just hope I can respond better in my service in the future to be deserving of having you as a son.   Zealous hugged him tightly. I love you Father, you are a credit to the constituency and to Mother’s memory. After a moment, they broke apart, wiping their eyes and eventually laughing softly.

Ardent changed the subject. Zealous, you said you had some news. What is it?

Zealous brightened at the opportunity to tell his Dad about his day. A Connected Entertainment design team contacted several of the younger members of Central Assisted Services with questions about Crime Zone. They asked about some of the constituent concerns expressed over the last few months. Of course, we were skeptical of CE and their motives. They did not appear to be entirely insincere, however. We told them that the environment was causing constituent dissatisfaction, and that we were very concerned that this was not going to be addressed appropriately or expeditiously. They stated that they were going to make changes to the environment to make the experience better. Of course, we knew that meant that they were primarily concerned about their own profits, and that they fear constituents will switch to other environments or activities, or voice further requests to our offices or to their Counselor, if Connected Entertainment does not fix their environment soon, but we were pleased to hear of the upcoming changes. In fact, they even asked to speak to a group of us in person to seek our input. Our Supervisor was very skeptical, of course, but he did say he would consider their request and respond in the near future. It was very interesting, although of course also somewhat alarming.

Ardent knew that his son was saying all the right words, but Ardent could also