Surface Ripples

Are We Losing the "Human Touch"?

The COVID pandemic forced many businesses to “go digital” faster than they might otherwise have done. Online shopping, banking, conference calling, food deliveries and more proliferated and the reverberations are still echoing through the world.

Admittedly, online applications and other services are convenient. In many cases, they’ve reduced costs, sped up processes (so some claim!) and allowed us to spend more time on things other than going to a particular office, centre, store with associated efforts to find parking, queue, wait and more. 

BUT… has this resulted in more distancing of people?  Now it’s a case of:

“Go-to-this-website, fill-in-this-form, sorry-but-you-must-fill-in-this-field, enter-your-password/register/login-as-a-member, sorry-but-we-were-unable-to-process-your-payment, due-to-high-demand-we-were-unable-to-process-your-application-at-this-time-please-try-again-later.”

Many of us will have experienced the above situations, or the “Website down, please refresh" to get appointments, or other tech issues.  One small thing can bring a business’ system down (and that’s before taking cyber-attacks into account). 

Systems are only good when they work.  What makes the situation worse is that quite often there’s no “helpline” number to obtain “human intervention”. Suppliers are simply distancing themselves from the very customers on whom they rely to make money.  This can end in a self-destructive spiral of customer complaints, profuse apologies, damaged reputations and “make good” efforts.

When used well, online system and websites can improve service exponentially.  Like all machines, though, they can break down and so need constant servicing and checking.  Above all, there must be a means of getting in touch with a "real actual person" if things go wrong.

When it works well, it’s brilliant. COVID taught us all a lot about online services and deliveries. When things don’t work, the bad news spreads fast, and one risks intervening when it’s already too late.  What can you do to “tech-proof” your business?

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.

Labels: Customer Care, Leadership, Selling, Strategy

posted by William Martin @ 09:22