Between endless meetings, work-related tasks and familial responsibilities it probably seems as if you’re continuously pulled in different directions. Our society has devolved into a place where we often fail to stop and notice important things, simply because we’re so busy satisfying the needs and wants from those we love, or to those whom we have to answer.

A perfect illustration of how distracted our society has become is a wonderful story about internationally acclaimed virtuoso Joshua Bell, one the nation’s greatest violinists, commanding  fees upwards of $1,000 per minute performing to sold out crowds. He also loves to play anonymously in the D.C. Metro during rush hour. What is amazing is that during 43 minutes of playing, only one person recognized him and he made just $32.17 in tips.

Today, people are so busy wrapped up in their own lives that many don’t want any intrusion – even if that intrusion is one of beauty and song – and they simply don’t listen. This is exactly why consumers get so annoyed when telemarketers or your salespeople call in the middle of dinner.

We cannot make more time. We can only do the best with what we have. Because of that, people get annoyed when salespeople intrude on that time. So how do the Amazons, Apples, and Googles of the world continue to thrive and win the hearts and minds of their customers? It’s all about providing interactions the way the customer needs and desires.

Would it surprise you if I told you that Amazon Prime members now outnumber non-Amazon Prime members? Yes, a majority of customers are willing to pay a company $99 per year to do business with them. Why? It’s all about convenience.

Consumer behavior now dictates which companies thrive, which merely survive and which disappear. Consumers have – and will always have – the leverage to make these decisions.

And that leverage lies directly in their perception of your company; if you provide an excellent customer experience and make it convenient to do business with you and save them time…

… Or do you intrude upon it? It’s your choice. How do you interact with your customers and wish to be perceived?

How many times per day do you decline to answer your phone because you don’t know who is calling? How many pieces of mail do you throw away unopened on a daily basis? Are all the promotional mail pieces going straight into the trash can once a week?

Well, do you think your customers act any differently?

Sure, you get some bites on the line here and there and, for some, it’s worth it because perhaps you sell more cars and make more gross than the cost of the phone calls or direct mail. Or perhaps you think it is the result of a salesperson pounding the phones completing some “to-do” list that they really aren’t invested in.

As technology has advanced many people don’t leave voicemails anymore. In fact, they don’t even listen to voicemails. And the emails that happen to sneak through a spam filter into an in-box get trashed as fast as a person can click delete – mostly before it is even read. Especially when a customer didn’t request the information in the first place. And, with the sheer volume of emails, if the customer is distracted when your email arrives in the inbox your message may well be on the second screen, out of view, by the time they are ready to view it. However, dealers keep sending thousands of emails and keep leaving those voicemails … and they keep being ignored by your customers!

If emails and voicemails are no longer effective, how are you supposed to communicate with your customers?

As a society, we have been conditioned to expect spam – both via voice and email – but many, especially millennials, still pay attention to one thing – text messages. In fact, over 98% of them are read – and 90% are read within 30 seconds! If they’re relevant, they get a response. Texts are typically short, can be responded to quickly and without much interruption – they are convenient and less intrusive.

If you want to sell a vehicle or get through to a customer to recommend additional service or get their approval for your service recommendations, I guarantee that calling someone while at work or enjoying dinner will get you a voicemail. And, in most cases, that templated email will only be read by the customer’s spam filter.

Is it all about the process? Or should we be more concerned about making sure customer interaction actually occurs – that the communication is something the customer will actually respond to so a conversation can occur? I know which one is more profitable.

CRM as we know it is dead. Its sole purpose was to replace index cards and rolodexes with a more organized digital solution – one which helped salespeople more efficiently follow-up, track and manage conversations. However, in most cases, the ultimate beneficiary is the user, not the customer.

In terms of communication, today’s world is filled with noise. So many businesses compete to communicate with and attract the attention of consumers. Ultimately none of these messages are received. Why? People have stopped listening. We are all tired of those unsolicited phone calls, email solicitations and direct mail. I am sure you throw them away, just like me. If the primary functionality of a CRM is to communicate with people, and those people have stopped listening to you, then it no longer serves much purpose. Yet an average dealer will spend north of $3K per month on this futile exercise. The people have voted and businesses are blocked from their digital and physical lives! They are fed up with intrusions upon their limited time.

However, technology now provides a far superior way to communicate with people. Just like we evolved from note cards and rolodexes to CRMs, the next evolution is happening -- and the companies that pay attention are winning. Today’s consumers interact with and do business with companies that pay attention to their needs. Businesses that listen to and make it convenient for customers to do business will win. If you doubt this, simply consider how easy it is to spend money with Amazon. From “one-click” to “Dash” buttons – and now you can simply verbally tell Amazon Echo what you want -- you don’t even need to touch a computer, get up from the couch, or go anywhere. You can order a Hyundai delivered right to your front door for a test drive. You can complete the entire car buying process online and collect the vehicle from a vending machine. No humans required.

It’s no longer about relationship management, it’s about managing interactions. Try it, improve your customer interactions by simply listening to and making it easier for your customers to do business with you. You should see increased sales and market share, along with unprecedented retention. Continue to communicate the same old way that you always have and your customers will find someone who WILL listen to them.