The Importance of Connection: Part Two

Dave Brock, author of the book The Future of Selling Isn’t What You Think It Is wrote it as a retort to folks who believe selling is about “technology and the tools we use.” He explains that sure, technology is important, but that selling is about connecting with other human beings in a meaningful way. He writes, “In our world of increasingly ‘disconnected’ communication, it’s critical that we fill the gaps between what we see and say. It shouldn’t be surprising, but it’s really about connecting, genuinely, as human beings.”

AM Transport is located in southern Illinois where already the trees are looking a bit furry with new growth. As spring approaches and the pandemic begins to fade in the background, we’re faced with a world that has become increasingly accustomed to connecting by way of Zoom calls, Instagram pictures, Tik Tok videos, or Twitter tweets. 

All too often, businesses mistakenly believe text messages, emails, and social media posts keep them connected with people. That we’re doing our duties as friends, family, or colleagues when we text Happy Birthday or post a picture on Facebook. That we’re providing great customer service when we send an email notifying of a shipment’s delivery or inquiring about a specific piece of business.

What is real connection?

But is this real connection? Here at AMT, we don’t think so. The truth is that we can’t learn anything from a message we push other than what’s in the message. Think about it–how often have you misread someone’s demeanor in a text message? It’s just difficult to have a real conversation, one that allows for questions, digging deeper, and learning where we can help, in a text message or email. 

If we’re not participating in true human interaction, we lose out on the benefits of getting to know how someone thinks, understanding their philosophies, and finding out what makes them tick. And if we only communicate digitally we’re not truly connecting, and connection is what makes our personal and business lives rich with meaning.

Go ahead and ask Google what it means to connect with someone. Psychcentral.com explains that Human connection is the sense of closeness and belongingness a person can experience when having supportive relationships with those around them. Connection is when two or more people interact with each other and each person feels valued, seen, and heard (emphasis mine).

Connecting customers and carriers.

Here at AM Transport, we know that true connection is at the heart of the good work we do. We get to know our customers and carriers, so we can learn how best to be of service to their operations, but also because we sincerely like people and value the relationships we have made and continue to make in our 34th year connecting manufacturers and distributors with the best small to midsize carriers in the midwest. 

Our biggest responsibility as human beings is to find out where we can help. And this takes discipline and deliberate action. It requires us to talk to one another, to meet with new providers, to reach out. There’s absolutely no technology, no social media platform, no communication tool that can take the place of good, old-fashioned human connection.