Categories: Articles

The Digital Divide Gets Human

The original notion of The Digital Divide was how technology would create a larger gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” (think about third world countries versus places that have an Apple Store in every shopping mall). It’s my contention that the real digital divide is between the marketing and technology departments within any given organization. All too often we’re seeing technology departments developing online strategies or new ways to deal with customers. I feel that technology (like marketing) is one part of the equation. For the real digital divide to go away, we need marketing and technology working at the same table… together.
Don’t believe me? Here’s further proof: Gethuman 500 Database.
The Gethuman 500 Database is a list of 800 numbers for all sorts of companies related to credit, government, insurance, stores, products and much more. But, it’s more than just the 800 numbers: it’s also the exact numbers or words you should say while on the phone to get human customer service.
I love it.
Gethuman is a great example of how to bridge the digital divide. Someone created the customer service technology to make sure you only get a human if you must. Someone else leveraged the online space and the wisdom of crowds to build this initial list to workaround this problem. Why shouldn’t consumers have immediate access to human customer service? (hint: it costs a lot more).
Very cool. A perfect lifehack if ever there was one.
Check it out (and bookmark it) here: Gethuman.
Anyone know of a Canadian version?
(special thanks to Tony for the tip).

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.