Isn’t automation the antithesis of person-to-person contact? It certainly has been. We’ve all been caught in the labyrinthine automated phone support systems that never give you the answers you need. Automation has, for too long, acted as a gatekeeper to human contact. Almost like it’s there to weed out the faint of heart, or weak of purpose.
(That’s called segmentation, and we’ll get to it later).
But there’s an idea forming that elevates automation from gatekeeper to facilitator. Instead of barring the way, automation should be helping you on your journey and connecting you with the people and solutions you need.
And that’s where human-centered-relationships come in.
What does ‘human-centered relationships’ mean? Relationships that are personal, friendly, generous and meaningful. Relationships that aren’t just about what you can get from the other person, or how much you can sell. But about how much value you can provide, how much empathy you can offer, and how delightful an experience you can create.
I know, it sounds like a lot of work. One of those ‘nice ideas’ that’s impractical to implement (and your CFO would laugh you out of the room if you tried).
But, call it karma, or call it a sustainable business practice – it’s been proven that companies that take care of their customers do better in the long run than companies that prize profit over people.
Automation, and specifically chatbots, can be part of that picture. In fact, for growing businesses that want to make a big impact, automation should become an integral part of making customers experiences feel personal and delightful at scale.
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