Is Technology Making Us Lose Touch with Our Clients?

There is so much technological advances in the meeting planning industry; you have to truly stay on your toes to keep up. However, is that making the meeting planning sales process colder and more distant? It is extremely hard to develop those important business relationships with Cvent, Global Reply, GSO’s, NSO’s, etc. A face-to-face meeting is not likely, telephone calls are rare and in between, and trying to establish rapport to talk with a customer or decision maker is almost impossible.

I am not saying I want my Rolodex back. Nevertheless, what would be more exhilarating is for the meeting planning process to get back to services that are more personal that mean more to you than technology. Who remembers the 1990 United Airline’s commercial about the client they lost after twenty years because he did not know them anymore. Fax’s emails, computer generated RFP’s, personal communication is lost and the business process takes a turn away from relationships into electronic data.

Relationships are the lifeblood of sales. The sales professional should keep that as vital part of their sales system and sales process. It is part of the sales persons DNA and sales behavior. That is what allows you to meet and exceed the customers’ expectations.  

What are your thoughts? I am confident that we can achieve some impressive meeting results for your next meeting or conference.