North West is at risk of widespread 'digital amnesia'

New research suggests the North West is at risk of widespread ‘digital amnesia’, as it revealed 20 per cent of people don’t know their own mobile phone number.

The research, by customer relationship management specialist Capsule, found more than two thirds (71 per cent) of people in the region don’t know their partner’s number off by heart, whilst 59 per cent don’t know their best friend’s birthday, and 70 per cent don’t know their booked holiday dates without using tech to check.

Dependence on modern technology to carry out everyday tasks was further highlighted in the survey, with almost two thirds (63 per cent) of North West respondents saying they rely on tech for directions, 44 per cent for shopping, 39 per cent for times and dates of events, and 38 per cent to access transport.

Duncan Stockdill

Duncan Stockdill, Capsule CEO, said: “In an increasingly digital age, many people are using technology to store and access information instead of memorising it,”

“Those surveyed admitted that they reach for their devices to carry out simple, basic tasks, such as maths calculations and spelling.

“As technology has become more connected, accessible and easy-to-use, we have become progressively more reliant on it to help organise our lives and remember for us – giving rise to ‘digital amnesia’. Essentially, we are storing more information and memories in the ‘cloud’, not our brains.

“With this in mind, it's essential to trust the software you use and ensure it keeps your data secure like enabling two step login and using strong, unique passwords. We know passwords are easily forgotten though – around eight per cent of our users reset their password each month. Tools like 1password are useful as they'll remember them all for you.”

According to the survey, almost one in three (31 per cent) North West residents describe themselves as disorganised. As a result, more than one in five (22 per cent) have been late for appointments in the past 12 months, 21 per cent have missed birthdays, 18 per cent have forgotten to pay bills, and 15 per cent have missed transport, such as flights or train journeys.

Additionally, 29 per cent said that being disorganised negatively impacted their performance at work, such as missing deadlines and arriving late to meetings.

The link between technology and being organised was clear from the research, with two-thirds (66 per cent) of North West respondents saying they use technology, such as online calendars, digital to-do lists and reminders, to keep their lives in order.

Stockdill added: “There has been a significant shift in how we function and operate, and the gulf between the past and the future is set to become more pronounced as technology becomes even more advanced.

“Reliance on tech is showing no signs of slowing down and the business world needs to adapt to these changes in order to stay ahead of the curve and help their employees reach their full potential.

“Companies should consider taking steps to ensure that their employees have the tools they need to support well-organised and effective working practices.”

Capsule is a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software platform. The system helps businesses stay organised, in control of their sales process and build strong customer relationships through its simple but powerful integrated solution.