What is the future of the human connection in customer service?

The global communication firm Edelman conducted a 12-market study on the critical role brands are expected to play during the pandemic. They found that 83% of customers seek “compassionate connection” from brands. 

When it comes to brand interactions, traditional communication styles and habits have been modified (or suppressed) throughout the pandemic. This has meant that showing empathy, respect, and developing connections have become harder for organisations,  all whilst being needed more than ever by consumers.

It is interesting to wonder about the future of “the human touch” in customer service moving forward. Organisations need to rethink the design of contact centre operations and consider where human-based customer service fits in.

There is no doubt that speech analytics, Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) and other automation technologies are essential tools for any modern customer experience (CX) operations design. But with consumers seeking the human side of brands, organisations need to balance their CX by implementing self-service and simultaneously maintaining access to human-based interactions.

"I want to speak to a real person!"

Last month, I purchased a couple of domestic flights through two different airline travel agents. I ended up having to modify two bookings but had not chosen the “Flexi" options when ordering the flights. Both organisations offered email and chatbot services, which did not help me with my requests. I wanted to speak to a real person. The first organisation did not provide a phone number to contact, while the second had me in a queue for an hour and a half, and I never even got the chance to speak to anyone. I ended up buying two new tickets and will never deal with those organisations ever again.

This example alone shows how voice-based customer service is arguably the strongest experience influencer, capable of modifying the brand experience from bad to great. This is because empathy and connection are what people will remember above everything else after an interaction with a brand. On a lifetime value basis, emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied customers.

Finding the right balance 

According to research commissioned by SecureCo, 55% of CX decision-makers in Australia have rated AI & Automation as a priority in their CX transformation efforts to drive process efficiency and reduce operational costs. 

Leveraging automation to reduce costs (and improve CX) makes total sense when addressing standards inquiries, but self-service technology alone won't fulfil CX expectations.

In the context of the future of human connection in customer service, AI is an enabler capable of "augmenting humans". Customer service representatives are assisted by Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVA), capable of finding and handing-over information, running diagnostics, authenticating customers or even detecting distress in a call.  

To provide high-quality CX, organisations will be required to balance their digital and human workforces and ensure their interoperability is thoughtfully designed to find the right mix of convenience and human connection.

If you have questions, comments or thoughts, please reach out to me!