Customer Driven: The Connections That Drive True Results

The concept of connectivity has received a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. We are riding a wave of connectivity – vehicles, highways, the Internet of Things – and it is all powered by data. Analyzing data in new ways encourages advanced exploration, integration and education. It exposes powerful information that drives both our personal activities and business innovations.

Data is what powers SpaceX into space, tells us where we should go to dinner, summons the closest and best ride-sharing driver, and yes, delivers optimally run fleets. But is it all about the data? Of course not! It is foundational, but the real connections go beyond data.

Technology vs. Face-to-Face

Being an advocate for superior customer service, I would argue that it is the connections of people, along with the right data, that complete the value equation. Developing personal connections with your clients, supplier partners and internal teams ensures that we continue to understand, learn from and support each other. This is an experience that only face-to-face interactions can deliver.

Reports show that our children are spending more than four hours a day on their screens. The typical 18-year-old uses their phone to send over 2,000 text messages a month, share status updates with 500 of their friends, and access one of the over three million apps available. While usage grows so does the concern on how these activities will impact their social skills and lives in the future.

Some may scoff at these statistics and think this technology has made us better-off than previous generations, but are we? Are we interacting with each other too much by email versus in person? When was the last time you picked up the phone instead of writing an email? Looking for ways to improve your client and stakeholder experience? Pick up the phone, visit them in their office, grab a meal together – build connections!

Build Connections For Great Customer Service

Doctors provide us with data about our heart rate and blood pressure, among other things. But many don’t make decisions on the data alone – they talk with you and with other doctors, they conduct further analysis, they work to understand the whole patient in order to make the best decision. Talk to people. Listen to people. Share ideas with people. Build stronger connections. You probably don’t know everything, but together we do.

Join the conversation! Share your favorite way to make personal connections. Email me at [email protected]

This article was originally published on Fleet Management Weekly.