To the Editor:

Face to face still matters. It’s true

I was recently asked: Why should someone join the chamber in this day and age when networking and connecting can be done at high speed via our fingertips, why in the world would someone spend money to join a chamber?

That was my response: Because face to face still matters.

Yes, we at the chamber have an app for your phone, Facebook page, email blast, twitter account, Linkedin group, YouTube channel, etc., but we believe that none of these can ever take the place of establishing a real human relationship.

Today it is very easy to become overwhelmed in a technology-driven world where everything is digital and instant. As I type, right now, I just had 10 emails come through my inbox and they are all expecting a response within the hour I assume.

But how often do we reach out to someone by email and never get a response back, or forget that we sent the email entirely? Or how often do we receive an email and forget to respond back? Quite often I think, or more than we would like to admit.

How about liking something on Facebook? Do the majority of us even know how many group pages, businesses, bands, etc., we have liked on Facebook? I know I couldn’t even list one or two at the moment, but I know I have liked a number of different pages on social networking sites.

Now, when a personal friend or relative emails you, you more than likely remember, or call them back if you cannot respond right? I think most of us would and do.

Why? Because we have a personal relationship with that person. We know that person, we trust that person, we know who they are, what they are like, and we more than likely would go above and beyond to help them with something or give them advice that we believe is the best thing for them.

You are probably asking yourself why in the world would a chamber of commerce care about my friends, or what the heck is she babbling about? I am bringing up this point because establishing personal relationships and community is what a chamber of commerce is all about.

We are here for our members, our businesses, and our community. We won’t hesitate to jump on the technology bandwagon because we know how invaluable it is in today’s world, but we also want you, our community and businesses, to know that we are here to help support you.

This is why a chamber of commerce still matters even in today’s society of an “I am too busy” and “too overwhelmed” lifestyle.

Erika Gauthier, president
The Guilderland Chamber of Commerce