A Stig’s-eye view
Everybody knows the Stig, the character from Top Gear. A play on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the Stig's racing suit. This was me for two days at UC Expo, as I became part of the Intercity Racing game that was on our stand at the event.
We have all been there, a situation with no access to the internet or have lost or forgotten a mobile phone. Immediate feelings are of frustration at the inability to communicate via a call, text or social media, but as I found at UC Expo, there are certain times when this opportunity arises that we should look to take advantage of it.
The businessman in me was frustrated as soon as I put on the helmet, as I knew that I wouldn’t be able to talk with potential new clients visiting our stand, or have the opportunity to check my emails, return calls or text messages. Soon after, however, the realisation hit me that I could take this opportunity to solely focus on listening to and observing the events of the day as the Stig.
It was interesting to observe stand etiquette, as so many exhibitors were scanning the crowds, looking for their next 'catch’. For me, and hopefully for many of you reading this, listening is the most important role in any conversation, as well as asking the right questions. It is a shame that this was ignored by so many exhibitors, keen to roll out their sales patter over finding out how they can actually help those attending.
As with any event, you have the usual attendees; those trying to fill their diary, those looking for a freebie, but also those who are truly seeking ways to communicate with new people and at this particular event, those looking for business solutions that will enable their workforce to be more seamless in their communication.
I witnessed the usual technical problems, as a fellow exhibitor lost connectivity and was unable to demo, I witnessed the tiredness of a second day on the floor and those conversations becoming more robotic, but I also heard people who were impressed by the new technology that was being showcased and fruitful conversations flowing as new business relationships were built.
In business we communicate in person, but we are also increasingly working remotely and are therefore relying on mobile devices, conferencing over IP telephony systems and video conferencing technology to communicate, and solutions such as unified communications provide us with the ability to do all of these things in an instant.
Taking on the role of the Stig and not being able to communicate at UC Expo has made me realise how much I rely on technology to communicate and how lost I feel without it. However, it has also made me realise how important it is to listen, especially when talking to potential or current customers about business pain points and what they are looking to achieve, something all businesses should look to reflect on.
Written by the Intercity Stig
