Smartphones and Human Productivity Part 1/2: Networking

What kind of phone do you have? Or rather, what kind of person does your phone have? With people relying on constant connectivity and constant communication, do devices have an interface for constant productivity, or is it just a constant distraction? Do all these outstanding new gadgets have the kind of value business professionals claim they do?

Mobile devices are becoming an integral part of the modern office. We want to answer these questions about their value in the workplace in a three part blog series entitles "Smartphones and Human Productivity." In part one we will be looking at the use of smartphones for the essential task of networking.

One of the people in the office that benefits the most from using a smartphone for networking is the salesperson. For the salesman, the smartphone has become an essential tool of the trade. You can see why smartphones would be a great compliment for salesmen. They need to communicate with people in order to do their job properly. They can use the phone's capabilities to track potential customers, information, and to keep in touch with everyone. Their job demands this connectivity. Does yours?

Do Smartphones Really Build Human Networks?
Smartphones are smart because they offer computing options and the power of the Internet to someone from virtually anywhere. One of the major bonuses of a smartphone is the access that it gives you to the people that are most important to you. Social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and others allow for a degree of networking that you couldn't get out of a desk-latent Rolodex. While social networking sites can be extremely beneficial for business visibility, you'd be surprised how little smartphones benefit a person's ability to produce.

Being Johnny-on-the-spot with your social media posts presents favorable situations for business owners and marketing professionals. For one, if you are one of the first people to post information about an event, a review of a product, or provide some other piece of information that nobody else has posted, you'll be able to direct "followers" or "friends" to additional resources (such as your website) or simply just start the discussion. This may not seem like much, but the more influence you have with the people that follow your social media, the more they will trust you. It may be a fleeting trust, but any good businessman understands that this is the business they're in. Building trust is critical if you want to find success in business.

Smartphones Make Networking Easier
Smartphones are generally the hub that allows this to happen. In this way, they do build human networks. They connect people from all over the world, nation, and area; down to the home you live in, with other like-minded people. This is the definition of networking. After all, meeting people who think like you and who can provide you opportunities (whether personal or for business), would have been exceedingly difficult only ten short years ago.

The networking opportunities presented by smartphones and mobile devices can be a game changer for businesses. However, just putting gadgets in the hands of your employees is not a guaranteed formula for networking success. You will need to obtain the best gadgets to match the unique needs and budget of your company, and you will also want to train your staff on how to make use of the vast social networking tools available for businesses. Directive can help your business benefit from mobile technology. Give us a call at 607.433.2200 to take your mobile networking efforts to the next level!