By Tony Huppert, CEO, Team Oil Inc.
In this new tech world we live in it is hard for an old guy like me to keep up with, everything.
Text messages are sent to me with abbreviations in them that can change the meaning of the message, with an old interpretation. I have a couple of examples to share. My daughter was having a very bad day. She text me and shared the trials of her day. It broke my heart to hear this sadness coming from my daughter. There was nothing I could do or say that would help other than to text her ‘Lots of Love’ abbreviated to ‘LOL’.
About an hour or so later my older daughter came to speak with me and ask what the ‘H’ is wrong with me. She had gotten a text from her younger sister asking why Dad was so insensitive to her feelings. She explained that ‘LOL’ means ‘Laugh out Loud’. Needless to say, I called my daughter and apologized and told her in person ‘Lots of Love’.
I didn’t think I could top that until recently our bank was having difficulties on our electronic transferring of funds. For some reason the bank ‘Wouldn’t Transfer Funds’. After several complaints from my daughter in law, informing me that the bank ‘Won’t Transfer Funds’ I sent an email to our loan officer titled, ‘WTF’ meaning Won’t Transfer Funds, in my mind. Needless to mention, my abbreviation can be taken other ways, as I now have been informed.
Be careful of abbreviations and shortcuts, they can cause irreversible damage or some scathing conversations.
Tony Huppert is a Wisconsin businessman of 40 years and CEO of Team Oil Inc., the family-owned and operated Team Oil Travel Center, and Subway in Spring Valley, Wis.
