In the digital world, everything is automated and efficient. Making inquiries are now more accessible to customers and brands. However, efficiency and convenience will match the importance of the human touch in business to retain clients.
A customer’s experience (CX) is the holistic evaluation of all their interactions with a brand, including customer service. Chatbots, canned responses, and interactive voice response (IVR) cut communication costs, but support representatives shape the relationship between a company and its clients.
Reports from GetFeedback show that 73% of companies surveyed will increase their personalization efforts by 2022 to create more positive customer experiences. Leaders in global business now migrate to customer experience prioritization more than ever before.
An empathetic, supportive, and empowering customer service brought by the human touch will show a company’s sincerity and dedication to serving its clients’ best interests.
Common customer service practices
Customer service is one of the building blocks of the BPO industry in the Philippines. The country has come a long way since call centers were introduced by Frank Holz in 1992.
The immense potential seen in the country three decades ago is now a reality as more BPO companies choose to hire Filipino workers. Filipino workers at present cover 15% of the global outsourcing market, with projected revenue of $40 billion by this year, 2022.
Inbound and outbound calls are two customer service practices that have been around for years. Inbound calls are when customers dial in to reach out for assistance. Outbound calls happen when call center agents initiate the call, usually for feedback and follow-ups.
Since then, the face of customer service has continued to evolve. New trends emerged in the age of e-commerce, Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the rise of artificial intelligence.
These developments in customer service reduce the need for human resources in many parts of the business. While they are valuable for process automation and business efficiency, there are aspects of customer service that they do not apply.
Automation vs human touch
Automated response to the clients is fast, efficient, and convenient but must not be the heart of customer service. The human element in customer service must be maintained at all times. After all, your target market is people with complex thoughts and feelings about your brand.
It is a fear for the workforce that AI, with its machine learning, deep learning, and neural network subsets, will one day replace the jobs that we have today. But one thing is for sure; it cannot replace the person’s need for genuine connection and belongingness.
Artificial intelligence can only do so much but does not possess the decision-making abilities a human worker has when faced with a new situation. Machine learning follows a single path and only acts based on its program. Unlike humans who can empathize with and articulate what the client wants, automation is not for complicated customer service scenarios.
In some situations, self-service assistance is sufficient to provide knowledge and solutions that buyers may find helpful. However, this should not be the default option for them. A customer service representative offers empathy and versatility in solving issues clients face with a product or service.
Human touch helps customers emotionally connect with the company and maintain it afterward. Feedback for human customer service is also advantageous for quality evaluation of the company’s support and assistance effort.
There shouldn’t be a battle between digital and human customer service. Both methods have pros and cons, but when correlated, there are identifiable common grounds where customers are served efficiently and personally.
Call rerouting is an example of human and automation in one where calls are automatically redirected to the best agent for the initially communicated concerns.
How to maintain the human touch when providing customer service
It is a human dynamic to connect emotionally. The belongingness a person feels within a group will make them stay and explore more about that connections. In the era of a customer-centric business landscape, organizations can take advantage of the basic need for emotional connection and understanding in their context.
Customer service representatives go through performance evaluations, including the number of customers served in a shift. Automation will support them in bringing the numbers in, but their innate ability to empathize with the customers brings value to the business.
It’s about time companies also prioritize training and upskilling their agents to support them in delivering excellent customer service. An empowered labor force must handle a human-centered approach to maintain the human touch in each interaction.
To ensure that customers feel valued and taken care of, organizations may start evaluating which part of their customer service must maintain human touch. This way, automation and tradition work together to bring the best customer experience.
