Being in the technology business, I am all about using technology to make our jobs (and lives) easier. However, it is easy to get too dependent on technology and forget that it is human interaction and relationships that can really make a difference.
My youngest son is a teacher and shared with me that at a school he used to teach at he was not allowed to take away students’ phones during class because their parents might need to reach them. Really!? Everyone has seen the memes of families sitting around the dinner table with all their faces buried in their phones instead of interacting with each other. In my day-to-day world, I use email and instant messaging to communicate with clients, coworkers, vendors, prospects, etc. all day long. It is quick, easy, and terribly impersonal.
A friend of mine recently opened a used bookstore in the small town near where I live. She has stated that one of the main inspirations for the shop is that the Internet is ruining books and reading. Her philosophy is that actual books are how readers and authors build a relationship and that just can’t be done with purely electronic media. She makes a really good point. They have a Facebook page, but one of its main purposes is to inform folks about upcoming face-to-face events to link readers and authors together through the physical books and reading experience.
Just like most things in life, electronic communication has its place. Certainly, having a written record of conversations has many advantages, particularly when dealing with complex project issues. However, there are times when it is much better to simply pick up the phone and spend a few minutes talking with someone. I know I appreciate receiving a phone call, and I have had many clients tell me that they appreciate it as well – whether to help resolve an issue to just to check in.
We have an automated help desk service like most everyone in the consulting world does. Clients can email us, receive an automated response, check FAQs or log a new incident, all without ever speaking to a live person. However, we make sure that we have a live person review every message and ticket that comes in and interact with the client. Sometimes that interaction is best handled via an email message, but sometimes a phone call is the best way to resolve an issue.
There is a reason that our contact email address is ‘LetsTalk’ – we want to talk to our clients, prospects, partners, etc.
To find out more, contact us at LetsTalk@ACUMENCorp.com and let’s talk!
