March 15, 2009 113 Comments

That Neighborhood Feel

East Boston, MA

A Recent History of Communication

Several hundred years ago, newspapers were born from broadsides and pamphlets, where information was aggregated and distributed, most specifically to a regional area. Stories were often personal, where many people knew the protagonists and antagonists of every piece. The learned people of a region stayed informed by paying attention to the distribution of various printed materials (as well as through private letters delivered through the postal system).

A hundred or so years ago, the telephone came into play. People used them to communicate. They were expensive at first, but then people figured out ways to cut costs, including the initiation of the party line (where people would all use the same service, but would use different ring types to indicate which house was receiving a call). Phones were very social.

Radio came, and it had a more broad reach. We learned about areas beyond us. Newspapers grew up. Television came. Nationalized content came. Syndication. International.

There’s obviously some good that comes from learning more about the world. I wouldn’t want to go back for anything. Having friends all over the world is really the best thing that ever happened to me. And yet, something happened with business communications.

Missing That Neighborhood Feel

With the ability to reach the masses came the disconnect between businesses needing to reach potential customers and any chance of personalization and localization. It’s hard to do both: reach millions of people and yet seem personal. Is that necessary?

We all want to feel important and unique. We want people to address us personally, to remember us. At least sometimes. I understand that we don’t need a relationship with our gas station (especially since they rarely have mechanics on staff any longer). I realize that we really don’t care to know our telephone company (until we have a problem).

Or do we? Do we like being treated personally? Is it too much to ask? Do we want these kinds of interactions? Which products or services do we want to be personal versus not?

Do we want that neighborhood feel back?

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  • http://www.interculturaltalk.org Deanna

    Neighborhood is about feeling important, in the sense of being valued–recognizing you’ve made choice to shop there, you know the owner, and they’re shop. In real life that can happen starting with the culture of the company. Ask where something is at Trader Joe’s, and they will stop what they are doing to walk you to the item. As direction at Sears, and you might get a vague wave to “over there.” I found that happened to me for the firs time on-line today, when opening an account with Scottrade. A box opened up for live chat. “I see you are opening an account, do you have any questions, my name is George.” Companies that still give you access to real people, and can follow your order (uprinting.com is another good one for this) is nice. It makes you feel connected even when you have used the product enough to not need the extra support.

    It’s like the guys at Cheers–it’s still nice to shop someplace where ‘everybody knows your name.” That’s what you get in neighborhoods.

  • http://www.interculturaltalk.org Deanna

    Neighborhood is about feeling important, in the sense of being valued–recognizing you’ve made choice to shop there, you know the owner, and they’re shop. In real life that can happen starting with the culture of the company. Ask where something is at Trader Joe’s, and they will stop what they are doing to walk you to the item. As direction at Sears, and you might get a vague wave to “over there.” I found that happened to me for the firs time on-line today, when opening an account with Scottrade. A box opened up for live chat. “I see you are opening an account, do you have any questions, my name is George.” Companies that still give you access to real people, and can follow your order (uprinting.com is another good one for this) is nice. It makes you feel connected even when you have used the product enough to not need the extra support.

    It’s like the guys at Cheers–it’s still nice to shop someplace where ‘everybody knows your name.” That’s what you get in neighborhoods.

  • http://www.interculturaltalk.org Deanna

    Neighborhood is about feeling important, in the sense of being valued–recognizing you’ve made choice to shop there, you know the owner, and they’re shop. In real life that can happen starting with the culture of the company. Ask where something is at Trader Joe’s, and they will stop what they are doing to walk you to the item. As direction at Sears, and you might get a vague wave to “over there.” I found that happened to me for the firs time on-line today, when opening an account with Scottrade. A box opened up for live chat. “I see you are opening an account, do you have any questions, my name is George.” Companies that still give you access to real people, and can follow your order (uprinting.com is another good one for this) is nice. It makes you feel connected even when you have used the product enough to not need the extra support.

    It’s like the guys at Cheers–it’s still nice to shop someplace where ‘everybody knows your name.” That’s what you get in neighborhoods.

  • http://blogs.oracle.com/fusionecm billycripe

    This is why social media, web 2.0 and e2.0 are changing/challenging the communication paradigms. Neighborhoods are virtual and finally, technology is enabling the kinds of conversations (and therefore truth, sincerity and intimacy) that were once restricted to geographies.

  • http://blogs.oracle.com/fusionecm billycripe

    This is why social media, web 2.0 and e2.0 are changing/challenging the communication paradigms. Neighborhoods are virtual and finally, technology is enabling the kinds of conversations (and therefore truth, sincerity and intimacy) that were once restricted to geographies.

  • http://blogs.oracle.com/fusionecm billycripe

    This is why social media, web 2.0 and e2.0 are changing/challenging the communication paradigms. Neighborhoods are virtual and finally, technology is enabling the kinds of conversations (and therefore truth, sincerity and intimacy) that were once restricted to geographies.

  • http://www.dogwalkblog.com Rufus

    @billycripe Actually, neighborhoods are not virtual. What “virtual neighborhoods” do is create value for human touch and IRL conversation because it is becoming more rare. I crave a a reality experience and a couple hours of kcik back time with my fellow dogs over a beer is far more satisfying than any Twitter conversation could ever be.

    Technology changes, people do not. Just because technology enables me to reach out, doesn’t mean the guy I’m reaching to will let me touch him. More often than not, he will have a stiffer arm out because technology enables him to do that. Quit drinking the Kool-Aid until you sober up :-)

  • http://www.dogwalkblog.com Rufus

    @billycripe Actually, neighborhoods are not virtual. What “virtual neighborhoods” do is create value for human touch and IRL conversation because it is becoming more rare. I crave a a reality experience and a couple hours of kcik back time with my fellow dogs over a beer is far more satisfying than any Twitter conversation could ever be.

    Technology changes, people do not. Just because technology enables me to reach out, doesn’t mean the guy I’m reaching to will let me touch him. More often than not, he will have a stiffer arm out because technology enables him to do that. Quit drinking the Kool-Aid until you sober up :-)

  • http://www.dogwalkblog.com Rufus

    @billycripe Actually, neighborhoods are not virtual. What “virtual neighborhoods” do is create value for human touch and IRL conversation because it is becoming more rare. I crave a a reality experience and a couple hours of kcik back time with my fellow dogs over a beer is far more satisfying than any Twitter conversation could ever be.

    Technology changes, people do not. Just because technology enables me to reach out, doesn’t mean the guy I’m reaching to will let me touch him. More often than not, he will have a stiffer arm out because technology enables him to do that. Quit drinking the Kool-Aid until you sober up :-)

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