Disrupted Communications - Creepy or Inspired?

It's not unusual to make a phone call,, perhaps an I.T. support call, a sales enquiry or customer service request, and have the person on the other end direct you to their website, and talk you through an answer, downloading an app, filling out an online form, or simply show you a product range online. They may even follow this up with an email or instant message on one of the social media channels.

I'm sure many people will have received a phone call after sending an email, a text or even a customer service related tweet to a company.

As more channels of communication open up in our every day lives, more communication naturally follows. When that communication is targeted and well  delivered value is added - for both parties.

So why was I so surprised when, a few days ago, one such communication happen in "reverse"? While browsing a company's web site - one I'd been to many times in the past months pursuing a growing interest in the field in which this company happens to be world leader - I received a call from a sales representative from that very company, asking if there was something they could help with.

They knew I was there again, and more than likely interested in their product, based on my shopping / browsing history. I'd used some of their services before and downloaded from them - they knew me. I'd "walked" into their store, and they'd asked "can I help you". Virtually!

This is the world we live in.  Cold calling still exists and still annoys us. Spruikers still wander the shopping malls and shop fronts broadcasting their specials for the day, people still sell and service. What is changing is people's / company's ability to use technology to do a better, more targeted job of communicating.

When I'm browsing in a clothes store, there's a fair chance I'm interested in clothes. The shop attendant doesn't know how interested, or what type, but they can take a guess based on how often they've seen me there, and what I keep looking at. Then, they can approach and say, "can I help you", or, better still, they can give me some information I'm clearly interested in, based on the fact that I've looked at the same shirts 3 times in the last month.

This is what just happened to me in the online world. There's no rule that says, a company cannot reach out to me when they see me on Twitter, on Facebook, or browsing there web site.  And surely that reach out is better than a call during dinner time selling me insurance/greeting cards/a new power plan or light globes!

Some say it was a little creepy to be called by a company who's website you are browsing. That was my reaction too for the first 10 seconds. But I quickly realised, due in a large part to the caller's professional, non-salesy approach, that this was fantastic service. We had a great chat - we communicated - and we both learned something. For him, unfortunately, it was that he couldn't make a sale right then. For me, it was eye opening. This communication (this conversation) has continued too, via email, at my instigation this time - and more value has been added.

We are more connected than ever before. The ways in which we deliver our messages and touch our tribes are growing in sophistication, but that's not creepy. It's empowering. There have always been, and will always be those that do it badly regardless of the medium. There will always be those that do it well.

(NB. It is easier to browse and shop anonymously online that it is, in person, with your browser's "incognito" or "private" mode.)