Appointment Quote by Thomas L. Friedman
““Goods are traded, but services are consumed and produced in the same place. And you cannot export a haircut. But we are coming close to exporting a haircut, the appointment part. What kind of haircut do you want? Which barber do you want? All those things can and will be done by a call center far away.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The World Is Flat, Thomas L. Friedman, 2005
An observation that while goods are tied to physical locations, services—especially those mediated by technology—can be delivered remotely, hinting at the rise of virtual service economies.
In simple terms: Services can be provided from anywhere, unlike physical goods.
Key Takeaway
Leverage digital platforms to offer remote services.
Themes
technology
globalization
service economy
Mood
optimistic
analytical
Type
economic
forward‑looking
When to use this quote
- consulting
- telemedicine
- online education
- customer support
- creativepreneurship
Key Concepts
digitalization
remote work
platform markets
virtual labor
Questions to Reflect On
- How will remote services reshape local economies?
- What challenges arise for workers in a virtual marketplace?
A Different Perspective
Digital service delivery still depends on infrastructure and trust.
