Tip of the Week July 21, 2010
Fixating on Technology more than People
In the era of the Blackberry, iPhone and other technical culprits, we often encounter advisory teams that have become extremely adept, and yet somewhat over-dependent, on these technologies and others like them. I am as guilty as anyone in this regard, but I do work on changing that reality.
People are indeed communicating with each other more than ever, but is it quality communication? So much of how we interact with each other is non-verbal. Emails, texts, etc. are largely depersonalized missives that move quickly back and forth, but to what end?
The risk inherent in all that technology is the lack of development of good, old-fashioned people skills. The more technology creeps into our lives, the greater the importance of face-to-face conversations, meetings and meaningful personal contact.
When you make a habit of cutting back, or abandoning altogether, non-essential technologies, this allows for the natural occurrence of better relationships within your team, a lesser chance of misinterpretation, and the continual honing of your team’s people skills.
Clearly your team will benefit from this, but it is also a certainty that your clients will too.
It wasn’t too long ago that none of these devices existed, and yet the business world still chugged along mightily, just like it always has. Instead of firing off emails and texts from a secluded room, team members actually had to interact with each other, and even look each other in the eye!
In the old days, as you know, a business deal used to be sealed with a handshake. I often wonder if there is any connection to this, and the fact that none of these technologies were in place at the time.
I realize that ‘old-fashioned’ face-to-face interactions still occur of course, but to a far lesser degree. I will say that when we do have face-to-face interactions, it sure seems like the chance of misinterpretation is by far to a lesser degree because we can see the body language unfolding in front of us, and we can experience the correct emotions that support the message. These are things that are integral for proper understanding of what is being said.
People sometimes forget that sound ‘people skills’ are practiced and developed skills. The less opportunities we have to ‘practice,’ the less these skills improve.
By no means am I suggesting that technology is all bad; Pareto Systems is primarily a CRM company after all. Our flagship product is the Pareto Platform: a CRM made exclusively for advisors. In fact, we even go as far as to say “No advisor’s office is complete without it!”
Before I start sounding hypocritical here, the difference is that the technology behind the Pareto Platform enables an advisory team to create processes using the onboard business development suite, and then automate those processes so that everyone no longer has to keep track of 20-30 things up in their head. This is highly significant from a communication perspective.
The end result is a whole lot more time and freed-up mindspace to do the things that you and your team need to do to enhance your team chemistry and your client relationships, and to build immense trust in the process with both groups.
Without our heads swimming in the minutiae of the typical business day, and by automating in this way, we are able to spend far more face-to-face time with top clients, focus on team relationships, and in short, create a consistency of superb communication that is unmatched.
Technology isn’t evil, there just seems to be good and bad ways to make use of it. Try to find the right balance within your team, and who knows? Sending fewer emails might just get you a referral or two!
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