Connectivity is essential today because the world never closes. Over one hundred years ago, “The sun never sets on the British Empire” was coined (Martin, n.d.). Today, we see that corporations, agencies, families, and individuals have relationships where the sun never sets. In the world, we are more relationship-driven than ever before.
Nothing is fast enough today when it comes to relationships. It doesn’t matter if it is business, personal, or both. Connectivity is now as essential as first responders because of financial concerns and relational concerns. If the business is closed, a relationship can be lost. If the connection is lost, so are sales. People like to buy products from people and corporations they know (Why “People Buy From People” Is Still True Today, 2021) . 24 connectivity for small businesses is an essential part of any business plan to solve this problem. The business must commit to hiring a person full time, or they could do something much more straightforward, hire an outside firm to perform the same job at a fraction of the expense. “A small business answering service handles communications for small companies for all industries. The call center gives small businesses the image of larger companies by answering phones 24 hours a day, setting appointments, assisting callers in both English and Spanish. (Find Answering Service, 2021)”
How do we create a relationship? Connectivity. However, how we connect is changing with the advent of new technologies. An example from the British Empire, carrier pigeons were used to relay vital information to the front lines of their armies. Today, video conferencing has taken its place. What used to take a month or more to send a letter worldwide can now happen in less than it takes for a heart to beat once in a text message. In the future, we will have created useable innovative technology that will identify, translate, and convey ancillary information about your surroundings and the people near to you.
We use cell phones, computers, and even refrigerators to connect with corporate and family members. No longer are we limited to what was programmed for us on television, radio, or newspapers (GUEDDOUH, 2021). We can watch individuals that are connected live stream video from the places that we want to see and understand. Everywhere, people are connected in a way that is integral to their lives. Using social media, we learn more about the well-being of others than ever before.
I am looking forward to the future, 50 years from now when there could be brain-computer interfaces that allow people to transmit thoughts, ideas, concepts, and even whole volumes of information directly to and from a computer (Stansberry et al., 2020). I believe this will happen because technology is evolving at a blistering pace. Along with that development, the connectivity of our planet makes us ever closer to the understanding that our relationships are our biggest asset. Our connectivity is the product of our relationships. The stronger the connection, the more resilient it makes all of us.
Beth Wood
Resources
Find Answering Service. (2021, August 30). Best Small Business Answering Service | Reviews & Alternatives. Retrieved April 30, 2022, from https://findansweringservice.com/small-business/
GUEDDOUH, R. (2021, July 21). Social Media vs Traditional Media Statistics. Top Media. Retrieved April 30, 2022, from https://topmediadvertising.co.uk/social-media-vs-traditional-media-statistics/
Martin, G. (n.d.). “The empire on which the sun never sets” - the meaning and origin of this phrase. Phrasefinder. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-empire-on-which-the-sun-never-sets.html
Stansberry, K., Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2020, August 14). Experts Optimistic About the Next 50 Years of Digital Life. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved April 30, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/10/28/experts-optimistic-about-the-next-50-years-of-digital-life/#:%7E:text=In%2050%20years%2C%20internet%20use,may%20be%20impossible%20to%20unplug.&text=From%20amazing%20advancements%20to%20dystopian,50%20years%20in%20the%20future.
Why “People Buy From People” Is Still True Today. (2021, March 12). Altify. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://uplandsoftware.com/altify/resources/blog/people-buy-from-people/