Um. Did this article just compare having face time with their doctor or case worker to product sales?<p>Hey, since this isn't obvious, the reason we want more time with our doctor is because our doctor knows more than we do so we don't know what sort of questions to ask, so we hope that the more time we spend there the more likely we'll remember something or he'll ask us a question to discover something. Same with everything else that is NECESSARY and has severe life consequences.<p>When I walk into a store (or virtual store) I already know what I want because I researched it before I went in. I want only 2 things from the sales staff: Where is the product and where is the end of the line for the cash register.<p>Granted, some people are ignorant or can't be bothered to research before they go buy something and will need more coddling, so there should also be services available for those people.<p>The worst thing that could happen is if you take away the option of fast customer service just because you find, on average, the consumer is happier because the service is slower. Make BOTH options available, otherwise people like me will hate shopping there.
I think over the next few years, marketing will be a science.<p>Fields like behaioral psychology (isn't it spelled 'behavioural' ?), behavioural economics, neuroeconomics, etc, will increasingly dictate how businesses market to consumers. FMRI machines cost less and schools / companies can now do their own research on non-medical things.