KELA, OmaKanta and Keva
At the moment I don’t use any services from Kela. In the past 20 years, I have indeed used many different services. There has been different services for students and families, like student loans and maternity packages. Our latest was child benefit, but it ended when our youngest daughter turned 17 last March.
I’ve had The European health care card for a few years all ready. And you only have to order it ones, after that a new one comes automatically every two years. So I didn’t order a new one…
I logged in to OmaKanta by using Suomi.fi – identification service provided by my bank. So far I have used OmaKanta very little, I guess that’s a good thing? But I’m glad that I have all my medical history in the same place and I can see them when ever I need to.
I haven’t been that interested about my pension. But people always talk about how low it’s going to be, so I maybe expected worse. It’s not good, but there’s still time to try to do something. The pension will be better 400€/month, if I retire 4 years later than I could.
Online Shops
Now that I’m thinking I order pretty much everything from online, except groceries. At least I check the product details from online and then just go and buy the product.
I looked from The Amazon the product: Meater thermoplus, thermometer with bluetooth, used in cooking meat. The Amazon price was 99,95$ + shipping costs 18,86$ and from the local shop, Gigantti, the same product was 89€. So online shop isn’t automatically the cheapest choice. I think the product details were better at Amazon. But I don’t mind if some product has a bad info in it’s site. It’s pretty normal, that I check the info and experiences from more than one site, and then just do the final order from where it’s the cheapest.
Once we went to a local shop to fit shoes to find a correct size and then went home to order them online. I can’t remember the name of the online shop anymore, but we got three Converses in price of one and the delivery was straight to the home door.
I think The Amazon is quite reliable. It’s very big and well known online shop. But if I think ordering some online shop for the first time, I’m pretty careful and I never pay the product beforehand, I always prefer an invoice.
App from my Field
Our workplace had a new working time monitoring, Nepton, few months ago. I can use it remotely from my phone and control it by myself. It’s based on trust between the supervisor and the employee.
The application has been done as easy to use as possible. The are two different views. The basic, were you can just log in and out from work, and advanced were you can edit your status if needed. I think this was an big improvement.
Digitalization gap
I’m not sure if people who doesn’t use virtual services sees it the way that they are in a gap. I think people can live very happy life without digitalization, if it’s their own choice. Usually there is always the traditional way alongside the digital way. But I also think, if digitalization is familiar, it is easier to get help and guidance. For example, we needed to get connected to an unnamed telecom operator. We were trying to connect different ways, by several people. Fastest we got help through chat. They answered from chat in a few minutes, but by ringing it took several hours! (chat directed to call the same number we were already tried…so in the end the chat was useless. But my first thought was that this company was invested chat better than traditional phone service, our issue only was a bit unique.)
Blogs I comment on
Hi Kati,
It was nice to read your thoughts about BookBeat. Audiobooks and podcasts are something that I haven’t had time to get to know. Multitasking is something that digitalization enables, but reading is something that I have wanted to keep ”just reading”. I can though image audiobooks being a good thing in some situations, for example, as you mentioned, driving a car.
Hi Annina!
Your site looks like a real blog! It shows you really have put an effort to it, good job! In Digi citizen you’ve thoroughly processed all topics with your own thoughts. You mentioned that digital services evolve and change and that is so true! It made me thinking, that aren’t we all kind of in a digitalization gap at all the time? The gap is never going to disappear? Now we think the gap is between can use/can’t use digital services, but in the future the gap may be can use/can use better?
Hi Matti,
The way you described your online shopping habits, were quite like mine. And what I have followed my children do, online shopping is becoming the most common every day thing. It’s becoming automation to go online first and find out the background and make a comparison before the final decision and purchasing.
Digital Competence Test and self-reflection
I think this test was difficult for me to answer, because it was based on how I see myself. I have learned during these and other studies, that the more I learn, the less I really know. Many of the questions was like “I understand”, and I think that I understand, but do I really know enough to say I understand, how do I know?
At this assignment, Digi Citizen, the topics were quite familiar already. I think my digi citizen skills are quite good and I’m not afraid to use different digital platforms. And I learned that I never should be afraid, but I also learned that to be up-to-date takes work and effort.
Hi!
Miia, I also behave the same way as you do. If I want to buy something I might go and try it on in a store and then order it online for cheaper or the color that I want. If those two options are not available at the store. The consumer has a lot of power nowadays and you can always make your decision on the purchase the way that you want to do it. Companies try to trick us in any way possible to just make the purchase either online or in the store.
Customer service on the phone has suffered a lot I think after all the chats and bots and every new invention. Talking to a person is always the best option if you don’t know how to handle the matter in another way. So as you wrote it takes hours on end to try to get someone to answer the phone. It’s really a shame that this is the current way of operating.
Hi Miia
You have some interesting ideas about digitalization. I especially liked the part about the digitalization gap and that people can live a happy life without digitalization. I have always thought that digitalization makes communication easier for people which leads to a happier life, but you have mentioned that there is always the traditional way of communicating. It reminds me that there can be a more meaningful, personal communication way than digital communication. The traditional way might lead to more happiness than digital communication.
Hi Miia and thanks for sharing your thoughts bout digi citizen. I must say that I identify with most of your thoughts. The pension is something I’m not used to watch/follow either. I see that the system might even change when we get old enough for that.
Your online store purchising behaviour is different to mine. I value the personal service and help that I can get from the stores. If such is available I like to use those services rather than use online stores.