Today Google announced that they are providing 24/7 live phone support for Google apps customers.
This is great news for those of us that have not taken advantage of the full suite of Google apps services because we were not comfortable betting the future of our business on a faceless company.
Are you unknowingly doing the same with your business?
The Telephone Still Trumps Social Media
Today I had telephone conversation with a number of friends, prospects, and customers – with all but one of them having a duration of more than a couple of minutes.
What’s up with that?
Isn’t business today supposed to be trending toward social?
Google evidently has come to realize the value of human interaction for growing a business.
Companies like Zappos know this all too well. One of their hallmarks is the willingness to spend as much time on the phone with you as necessary – regardless of whether or not you make a purchase.
The result is you probably will make a purchase, maybe not today, but someday.
That’s the power of human interaction.
Human Beings Value Personal Access
If you are looking for an advantage to grow your business, look no further than providing personal and human access to your company.
What is interesting is this is nothing new. During the 20 years I operated my landscape business I always had the telephones answered by a live human being.
Trust me, it works.
Phone calls are a viable trend in this social media influenced business environment.
In regards to Google apps, I easily accomplished my objective of having a reliable email service associated with my unique URL. While I wanted to go further, I was uncomfortable with all of the technical complications that followed.
Nevertheless, I had the thought, “If only I could have just one telephone conversation with a knowledgeable representative.” Now I can.
If you are insulating yourself and your business from potentially time consuming conversations with your prospects and customers, you are effectively leaving money on the table – or worse, driving them away.
If Google can do this so can you.
While they have greater resources, you can still answer your phone and invest some time with the customers that support your business – and the prospects who just want to know they are dealing with a human being.
Invest in Your Relationships
If you want to enhance your opportunities for attracting more business, go even beyond the phone call and arrange more personal meetings.
If you think you are too busy, give the Steve Jobs biography a read. He was a master at picking up the telephone and arranging personal meetings – often to do nothing more than taking a walk to discuss potential business opportunities.
You can do that too.
Don’t let this technology blind you to the fact that business is about people – interacting and engaging to create mutually beneficial arrangements.
For what it’s worth, that is what I am doing to move my business forward.
If you take the time to invest in your relationships – you will have more time to do more of everything else.
Take the time. It’s really a misnomer that means giving of your time – a practice that often produces favorable results.
What do you think?
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Until tomorrow, Jeff
