11 Ways to Balance Technology with Personal Touch to Engage Customers
Technology does a lot but it can’t do everything. Sometimes insurance agents and other business people forget that. They become so dependent on email and social media that they lose sight of what people really need from them. Yes, clients expect to connect with in various high-tech ways, but they also crave the deep and meaningful connections that can only come from face-to-face (or at least voice-to-voice) connections. It can be tricky to walk the line, says Paul G. Krasnow.
“Too little tech and you’ll seem out of touch, too much and you’ll lose the personal touch that keeps customers loyal and engaged,” says Krasnow, author of The Success Code: A Guide for Achieving Your Personal Best in Business and Life. “As you’re trying to find the right balance, just remember this: Your client relationships are built on emotions and trust, so use technology only in a way that maintains, enhances, and propels those relationships to the next level.”
Krasnow attributes his career journey to his ability to build strong personal relationships. Following early success in the clothing industry, he experienced a devastating bankruptcy that forced him to rebuild his life from scratch. He went on to join Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., where he won multiple “Top Agent” awards. He still serves clients today—and they love him as much as they ever did.
“Human needs don’t change,” asserts Krasnow. “Relationships mattered in the days of pencil, paper, and snail mail, and they still matter in the days of Facebook and Skype.”
Meeting with all clients in person is the ideal, but of course that’s not always practical. Still, Krasnow says businesses should invest in at least one face-to-face meeting with their top clients. Then, they should use a carefully balanced mix of technology to maintain the relationship.
Here are some of Krasnow’s tips for using tech the right way:
“If you harness the power of technology correctly, it can do wonderful things for your business,” concludes Krasnow. “But remember that it is only one tool in your toolbox. Use technology to enhance business, but don’t let it overshadow your mission to keep trust-based client relationships at the center of everything you do.”
Krasnow’s book, The Success Code: A Guide for Achieving Your Personal Best in Business and Life (J & K Publishing, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-692-99241-8, $24.95), is available from Amazon.
Krasnow is a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., where he has been a top producer for 40 years. Early in his career, he suffered a financially devastating bankruptcy with a line of clothing stores he owned, but went on to join Northwestern Mutual, where he has created an impressive financial portfolio and a strong network of clients, many of whom have become lifelong friends. Krasnow regularly speaks for multiple life associations in the U.S. and has given seminars for law firms and CPA firms in the Southern California area.