The Fine Line of Social Media Dependence

This last week, something amazing happened to me at work. Someone came to my office building and tried to tell me something. Yes, I know that may not be amazing to most people, but hear me out; I bet you’ll see the “amazingness” by the end of my post!

First, my office building is smack-dab in the middle of the Main Avenue road construction in West Fargo. There is now only one way to get to our building, and that way looks a lot like a dead end or an alley to the untrained eye. You have to be pretty darned determined to find the building, and really competitive if you want to get a parking spot in the lot itself.

Second, the person that came to visit me was from the Ramada Plaza and Suites, one of the largest hotels in the Fargo-Moorhead area. She was the Director of Sales, and she was in my office to talk to me about the $3 million renovations they are starting in November, their new catering menu, and their new corporate member’s club.

After the initial shock wore off, I really listened to her spiel. She was a great salesperson; if their prices weren’t so high and I hadn’t already signed a contract with another hotel, I may have given her my employer’s business. In fact, I would have given her our business for the sheer fact that she came out and saw me. No other hotel in the area has ever sent someone to see me, and we are one of the largest employers in the area!

As we all have discussed over the past five weeks, and longer for some of us, the era of face to face conversations and telephone calls is dying. When I was looking for a hotel for our conferences, I had to go out and practically beg for someone to give me information. No one was waiting on my doorstep, or even on their doorstep, to win my business.

I have seen a lot of retail businesses going the way of social media tools as a way to advertise their product. For businesses that provide services, like hotels and convention facilities, I think the social media tools, websites and brochures are all well and good, but the personal touch cannot die. Before you sign over thousands of dollars, it’s rather comforting to know the person that you’re paying.

So, for any of you that are thinking of going into a service industry, think about my blog. Do you agree that the personal touch will always be needed? Or do you think I’m stuck in the old ways?