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Remember when overnight shipping seemed almost incredibly fast? But with e-mail, BlackBerrys, instant messaging, Web conferencing and the likes of Twitter … technology sure has given us myriad ways to instantly talk to one another. Each has its place and serves a very important function.

Blend those technologies with the demand for more productivity from fewer people, and you can see how many professionals end up hiding behind some gadget or gizmo.

But do not forget the power of actually communicating with your customers or clients. Sometimes, there is no good substitute for hearing your voice, or actually sitting down together for a little face time.

The high-tech solutions leave all of us feeling “dealt with” rather than knowing we shared a conversation. Don’t get me wrong – our clients are juggling just as much as we are and probably appreciate the efficiency of the high-tech contact. Most of the time. But be sure you find a balance between the two.

Make a list of your top 10 clients. If you have not spoken to them in the past couple of weeks, pick up the phone. Or travel to them, if that’s practical. Or the next time they stop in, find the time to engage them in a brief chat. Don’t call about a specific project or promotion. Just call to see how things are going. Or how their son is enjoying his first semester at college. Be genuine. Be you. But be unplugged.

If you need a more pragmatic reason to pick up the phone, I’ll bet if you call all 10, you’ll get some additional work/purchases from at least a couple of them.