Technology has been a driving force in improving the products and services offered by businesses. Automation is one of the technologies enabling firms to deliver better and more products at a speedier pace.
Thus, more and more firms have been looking at areas in their operations that can be automated.
However, with the rise of automation, there is a decrease in human touch. This becomes particularly important for a field like customer service.
Also Read: How Automation Is Changing Workplaces
Discover how to incorporate automation while maintaining a human touch.
By understanding the importance of both automation and the human touch, a firm can develop the balance it needs to deliver the best customer service.
How Automation Became Popular
To put it simply, automation made tasks (particularly monotonous ones) easier to deal with. The customer service industry is filled with such activities where automation can deliver strong benefits.
It can be through chatbots, self-service portals for customers, enabling transactions, and more. With automation, a firm can receive the following benefits:
- 24/7 Customer Servicing: For firms with global consumers, being accessible at all times is a must. Automation enables this by improving customer service and satisfaction.
- Speedier and More Cost Efficient: Automating can help a firm resolve complaints and issues at a quicker pace while reducing operational costs.
Thus, the need and want for automation is clear. But what about the human aspect of customer service?
Necessity of Human Touch
While automation in customer service has many upsides, completely disregarding the human aspect is not favorable for firms.
Human interaction is vital for successful customer service, especially because it is a human that needs a resolution. Human resources become particularly important in the following scenarios:
- Resolving Complex Issues: There is a limit to the type and level of complaints present day automation technologies can handle. Beyond basic segmentation by complaint category, some complex issues that require detailed understanding and empathy require a human touch.
- Developing Long-Lasting Relationships: A firm grows when customers remain loyal and regularly purchase from them. Human interactions deliver a personalized touch that can incentivize a buyer to stay with the brand.
Thus, both automation and human resources can be leveraged to optimize customer service.
How to Find the Right Balance
The right balance depends on the firm’s objectives, type of product and service, customer base and more. Hybrid models are generally the ideal strategy with a two-part split:
- First contact is automated where the customer is segmented by various criteria. Routine issues can also be resolved.
- Human resources handle more complex issues or when automation cannot.
Additionally, the important part of maintaining this balance is to properly train human customer service agents and iterate based on feedback.
