Should tech companies dare to be truly human?

Guest post by Prof. Steven van Belleghem is a world-leading expert in customer experience and best-selling  author. His new book, A Diamond in the Rough, is out now.  It might seem strange to some people involved in the tech industry, but the importance of being purely human has not diminished in the digital world.

Should tech companies dare to be truly human?

People have a unique talent to pass energy to one another. During the pandemic lockdowns I received more invitations to present my topics than ever before. Of course, they were all digital presentations. I was particularly grateful that I could continue working, but, in all honesty, it required a lot of energy from me. When presenting by video you must project a lot of energy through the screen to have impact, but very little energy was returned during the lockdown period. It was only then that I realised the impact of human energy.

When you stand in a room (even if there are only 10 people) you always get energy back. That give and take between people is a source of strength. Online technology events and meetings may be very efficient, but they are quite ineffective for exchanging energy with other people and making connections with them.

People rarely become big fans of companies that are only digital. Perhaps you are thinking that Amazon discredits this statement. You are correct; many people are mega fans of Amazon even if they have never spoken personally with anyone at the company. In case of dire need, you can make phone contact with someone at Amazon and if you have, you will have found it a very pleasant experience. The reality is: there are not that many Amazons in the world. Most companies need only pure humanity to win a customer’s heart.

Given the rate of acceleration in the quality of artificial intelligence, I am sure many companies are already dreaming of a fully automated customer service department. Within a number of years, it will probably be perfectly possible. The question is: would it be a good thing? How would customers be affected: no more hanging on the line listening to music, no more of those annoying menus that never offer a number corresponding to your need, no more voice with a heavy accent that makes their words incomprehensible.

Would customers find this appealing?

I am convinced that 95% of the time, they would. If something is wrong with their broadband, or they want to rebook a flight, or they have a very practical question about a product, AI customer service is without a doubt the best solution. But suppose your house has burned down, you have had a bad accident or someone has died unexpectedly. I think you might prefer to speak with a real human being, someone who empathises with your situation and takes some time to do so.

I believe that the “Polished Diamonds” of customer experience will never completely remove the human component, even if it is technologically possible. These truly outstanding companies will provide either efficiency or the human touch as appropriate.

In an effort to confront loneliness by facilitating human contact, Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has installed over 200 ‘chat checkouts’ since 2022. If you are a customer in a rush you can of course opt for other checkout lanes, but for those people who opt for the ‘chat checkout,’ they can enjoy talking to the cashier for 15 to 30 minutes without anyone making a fuss.

Southwest Airlines’ customer service strategy also includes a human option. Customers can choose to arrange everything concerning their flights digitally, but once on board the airline has found a clever way to make use of the time the customer is physically present. When you think about, few companies have the luxury of their customers being ‘captive’ with company representatives with them for several hours like airlines do. There is no alternative.

Most airlines treat this unique moment as transactional, promoting duty free products, meals, snacks and drinks. Southwest has chosen to make time on board fun and entertaining for customers. Just a quick search on YouTube will bring up videos of the Southwest flight crews joking, or singing through the intercom, sharing their human energy with their customers. So, even if you are leading the tech revolution in your industry, don’t forget to think about the value only a human can add to your customer experience.

Prof. Steven van Belleghem is a world-leading expert in customer experience and best-selling author. His new book, A Diamond in the Rough, is out now. For more information go to www.stevenvanbelleghem.com

See more articles here.