Lonely businesses: drowning in words--losing touch.

• Author: Hall, Robert
• Position: MARKETING SOLUTIONS

"There's a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat. That's crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions."

--Steve Jobs

WE ARE A SOCIETY DROWNING IN TEXT AND STARVING FOR TOUCH. The onslaught of electronic interactions and transactions has structurally changed how we relate. Email, texts, tweets, online purchases, and kiosks that dispense everything from cash to gasoline have made words and icons the center of our universe.

What we are losing is nonverbal touch--a look that encourages, a hand that warms, a tone that soothes, a smile that greets, a wink that acknowledges, a lean-in that reinforces. As Jennifer Szetho says, "Most children at one time or another just want to know that their parents eyes light up when they walk into the room." Nonverbal attention is a precious relational resource that is drying up. As we stare down into our screens, a whole other world goes by.

There is a word for a society that sacrifices its social senses to a growing monopoly of electronic words--lonely. Loneliness for those over 45 has risen from 20 percent a decade ago to 33 percent today (AARP survey)--an increase of 65 percent. Not only is loneliness a growing reality in our personal lives, but it is a growing reality for businesses losing touch with employees and customers--in the midst of a hyper-connected world. When Marissa Mayer, CEO at Yahoo, summons workers back to their offices--it means business is missing its workers more than its workers are missing it. Remember those lonely Maytag repairmen TV commercials?

When customers avoid us and feel no brand connection, we become lonely businesses. Our latest word for saying "no" to relationships: "Unsubscribe."

The risk of emotional isolation

Loneliness is a killer--for individuals and businesses. Judith Shulevitz in The New Republic, reports that recent research by psychobiologists shows that human loneliness sends misleading hormonal signals, rejiggers the molecules on genes that govern behavior, and wrenches a slew of other systems out of whack. Emotional isolat ion now ranks with smoking as a risk factor and is associated with Alzheimer's, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

In business, the vital signs are different but their underlying mechanics are similar. Losing touch weakens bonds with stakeholders, which also creates signal problems, diminishes relational commitment and alters the relational...