Digital tools and social media platforms have become essential in modern working life. Even jobs that seem mostly physical now require some level of digital communication. In my current situation, I work in two different countries at the same time. I live in Finland, where I work part-time as a server in a Chinese restaurant in Helsinki. At the same time, I continue to work remotely for my family business in Thailand, which consists of a small hotel and a swimming pool café.
Because of these two different roles, my use of digital tools varies significantly. In this blog post, I will describe my current job responsibilities and how I use digital tools in my daily work. Then, I will review five digital and social media tools I have chosen: ChatGPT, Facebook, Canva, WhatsApp, and Line. And analyze both their positive and negative aspects. Finally, I will evaluate the elements of successful digital application use and provide a brief self-evaluation.
My current job and digital tool usage
In Finland, I work part-time as a server in a Chinese restaurant in Helsinki. This position is primarily physical and customer-focused. My daily tasks include serving food and drinks, taking orders, communicating with customers, cleaning tables, and coordinating with kitchen staff. Since the work is hands-on and face-to-face, I do not rely heavily on digital tools during working hours. However, communication still depends on digital messaging. We use WhatsApp to confirm work schedules, manage shift changes, and share urgent updates. Even in a traditional restaurant environment, digital messaging has replaced printed schedules and phone calls, making communication faster and more flexible.
In contrast, my role in the family hotel and swimming pool café in Thailand requires extensive use of digital tools. Because I am physically located in Finland, I must manage marketing, customer communication, and promotional planning entirely online. Without digital applications, remote management would not be possible. The hotel and café business relies heavily on social media and messaging applications to attract customers, promote services, and respond quickly to inquiries.
Below, I will discuss 5 tools I selected and how I use them.
ChatGPT
One of the most important tools I use is ChatGPT. I use it as a virtual assistant for marketing and communication tasks. It helps me generate advertising ideas, write promotional content, revise customer messages, and adjust tone depending on the situation. For example, when replying to customer complaints or explaining booking policies, wording is extremely important. ChatGPT helps me create responses that are polite, professional, and easy to understand. It also helps me simplify English when communicating with international customers.
The advantages of using ChatGPT are clear. It saves time, supports creativity, and improves the overall quality of written communication. It is especially helpful when I experience writer’s block or when I need to create promotional content quickly. However, there are also disadvantages. AI-generated responses are not always accurate, and sometimes the tone feels unnatural. I must carefully review the content before using it. This experience has taught me that AI is a supportive tool, but it cannot replace human judgment, cultural understanding, or business knowledge.
For our family business in Thailand, Facebook is the primary marketing platform. In Thailand, Facebook remains one of the most popular social media applications, and many customers rely on it to discover hotels, restaurants, and promotions. Our business page currently has nearly 10,000 followers. We use it to post room promotions, swimming pool packages, food and drink advertisements, and important announcements such as temporary closures for cleaning or special events.
Facebook offers many benefits. It allows us to reach a large audience and interact directly with customers through comments and messages. It helps build brand awareness and trust because customers can see photos, reviews, and updates in real time. The platform also offers paid advertising options that can increase reach and engagement. However, paid advertising does not always guarantee success. Sometimes we invest money in advertisements but receive limited engagement or bookings in return. In those cases, the business loses money without measurable results. Another challenge is that negative reviews are also public and can influence potential customers quickly.
Canva
Another tool I often use is Canva. Canva helps me design visual materials such as menus, promotional posters, social media graphics, and announcement signs. Since I am not a professional graphic designer, Canva’s templates make the design process easier and more accessible. It allows me to maintain a consistent visual identity for our business without hiring an external designer.
The strengths of Canva include its user-friendly interface and professional-looking templates. It reduces costs and encourages creativity. Personally, using Canva has increased my confidence in visual communication and branding. However, some advanced features require a paid subscription, and certain AI tools within the platform are not always easy to use.
WhatsApp is an essential communication tool in both of my jobs. In Finland, it is used for coordinating with colleagues and employers. For the hotel business, it is mainly used to communicate with foreign customers and travel agencies. Since WhatsApp is widely recognized internationally, many foreign guests prefer using it for direct communication.
The main advantage of WhatsApp is convenience. It enables fast messaging, voice calls, video calls, and file sharing. Communication is immediate and efficient. However, there are also challenges. Because WhatsApp is installed on my personal phone, the boundary between work and private life becomes unclear. Customers may send messages outside working hours, which can create stress. There are also data protection concerns, especially when sharing customer information.
Line
In Thailand, Line is extremely popular. Most Thai customers and staff members are already familiar with the application, which makes communication smooth and efficient. We use Line for customer inquiries, staff coordination, and promotional updates.
Line’s familiarity and ease of use are major advantages. Communication is quick, and customers feel comfortable using it. However, one practical challenge is that files and photos sent through the application may expire after approximately two weeks. This creates organizational issues because important documents must be saved elsewhere.
Positive and negative aspects of social media use
Overall, social media provides many benefits for businesses. It increases visibility, enables direct communication with customers, reduces traditional marketing costs, and supports creative branding. In my situation, digital tools allow me to manage a business in Thailand while living in Finland. Without social media and online communication platforms, this arrangement would not be possible.
At the same time, social media also presents risks. Businesses can become too dependent on algorithms and paid advertisements. Negative reviews can spread quickly and affect the reputation. Privacy concerns and affected work-life boundaries can also create stress. Therefore, social media is powerful but must be used responsibly and strategically.
Elements of successful digital application use
Based on my experience, successful use of digital applications requires clear strategy and planning. Businesses must understand their target audience and set specific goals before posting content or investing in advertisements. Consistency in branding and communication is also essential. Critical thinking is necessary when using AI tools like ChatGPT, as human review ensures accuracy and cultural relevance. Time management is important to maintain work-life balance, especially when using messaging applications. Finally, adaptability is the key because digital trends and algorithms change frequently.
Self evaluation
Writing this reflection, I realized that digital tools play a much larger role in my professional life than I thought. Although my restaurant job in Finland is mainly physical, digital communication still supports coordination and teamwork. Meanwhile, my remote work for the family business depends heavily on social media and online tools.
I consider my strengths to be creativity, adaptability, and willingness to learn new technologies. I am comfortable experimenting with new digital platforms and using them to improve business communication. However, I recognize that I need to improve my ability to analyze advertisement performance and manage time more effectively when using communication apps. In the future, I would like to deepen my knowledge of digital marketing strategies and analytics.
Overall, digital tools help me to manage a business across countries, communicate with different customer groups, and improve service quality. However, they require responsibility, critical thinking, and continuous learning. Successful use of digital applications is not only about technology but also about strategy, creativity, and balance.