Written by Mike McMullin
With all the talk about virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robots and various other technological advancements, it might seem as though there is a battle underway to eliminate human connections. For all its accomplishments, technology will never replace what human connections can do. Social connections are hardwired into our DNA. As humans, our hearts and souls thirst for these connections. Whether in our personal or business lives, the very fabric of what gives us energy and peace is woven into our connections with others.
Listen to any genre of music and almost every song you’ll hear is about the powerful connection of love. You won’t hear any songs extolling the virtues of artificial intelligence or technological advancements. The human connection is something we need and yearn for like the air we breathe. We need to be aware of this in the business world too and strive to touch our customers and potential clients in ways that speak to their need for human connections. If we do this, our businesses will grow.
A couple simple things to be aware of that can give those around us a much-needed dose of human connections:
Have a friendly person answer your phones with a smile on their face. Most of the time we call businesses expecting to meander through an endless labyrinth of selections with absolutely no real hope of ever finding a living person to speak with. The intent is to obviously utilize the latest in office phone technology to save time and direct the caller to the right place, but the unspoken message that comes through loud and clear is, “Hey, we don’t really have time to help you, so good luck picking the right option.” Connect with them as a human first and answer the phones.
Interact face-to-face with fellow employees.
With employees, the same goal of cultivating human connections holds true. Instead of shooting off an email to someone who works down the hallway, try walking over and talking to them. This type of connection communicates that they are important to you. Go out of your way to bring back human connections with your people and you’ll see morale, productivity and motivation all increase.
Just because the advance of technology is relentless doesn’t make it the right option in every case. Remember that your customers, and your business associates, are humans first and foremost. They are not machines. Their need for human connection is very real.
