Technology is Not a Crutch!

How many times have you been stuck on a call with a large service provider, say the cable company or your insurance carrier, routed through ten different voice prompts only to find out that you reached the wrong extension?

Or what about the time you called a customer service center and they looked at a computer screen and simply recited back to you everything you already knew was wrong and you'd already tried "all of that" before?

Too often these days companies are relying on technology more and more to solve smaller problems they believe can be automated or systemized.

The challenge is that when those same problems begin to effect the same people who pay for your products and services, the consequences aren't easily identified.

On a website, for example, we know how long someone stays on a site, when they leave, and what actions they take. From that perspective, we can look at the data and determine more or less what the cause was and see where the bottle necks are in the process.

However, when it comes to customer service, too many companies are relying on technology as a crutch rather than as a tool to enable great service!

Think about the digital kiosks at all those well-known chain restaurants. Many believe this is the future of service, and that they can simply rely on autonomous machines to deliver the same (or better) service to customers.

This may work in a McDonald's where, let's be honest, if you asked for anything extra not already included on the menu description the kid behind the counter might have an aneurism before he could figure out how to help you. Turning around and shouting instructions to the line cook is completely taboo.

But in any business where customer service is a core strength or possibly even a competitive advantage, every decision maker should think two, three, or even four times before trying to use technology to replace existing processes.

Instead, they should focus on adding complementary services with technology, not replacements. Imagine if instead of using number prompts on any incoming call you could just say what you want, and the very next thing that happens is you get to a real live person who can help? Further, what if that person was given liberty to go "off-script" to really figure out how to help you?

If you're in a business where your customers expect to be treated like, well, people, then you had better think twice before replacing people with technology. Use tech to help them make better decisions, sure, but don't replace them.

If you are thinking about installing a technology solution to a people-problem, then you will need to figure out if customer retention is going to fall as a result. This one metric, captured before, during, and after implementation will tell you more about how well your technology is helping (or hurting) your change.

If you are on the fence, then maybe just raise your prices a little to offset the cost of having a good customer experience. Believe it or not, we will pay more for better experiences, and will leave with a trail of dust behind us and never return if the experience is bad.

Unfortunately, customer service is a dying art, and companies who are quick to replace thinking, talking, caring people with technology are going to be the first to lose customers and repeat business.

Oh, and having people use those damn telephone surveys to help you diagnose your customer service woes isn't helping you either!