Technology cannot replace the human touch

Technology cannot replace the human touch when it comes to building a relationship with your customers



While reading an article by Nick Rowley titled "Is Technology really being used to improve customer service" I was reminded how we have become so reliant on CRM tools, web sites, IVR and a variety of other tools to assist us in delivering a better service without taking our time to add the personal touch. Are we loosing touch and more importantly are we being left out of the customer conversation?

As any sales man will tell you that "you sell to people not companies". So is it not the case that relationships are built between people not systems? Rather that avoiding the customer surely we should be taking every opportunity to engage with them.

Research has proven that the customers who complain the most and have their complaints addressed (not necessarily resolved) are less likely to change providers. A phenomenon that psychologists call Reciprocity.

Technology and tools are aids but should constantly be helping us build our relationship with customers not used to avoid them. If the customer is not talking to you they'll find someone else to talk to and you may not be happy about what they're saying.


PS:
Chris Bucholtz over at InsideCRM had an amusing take on this in his post The call centre conspiracy