You Can’t Automate a Relationship
Shep Hyken,
Lately, I’ve been asked a lot about digital customer support. In the era of COVID-19, companies have had to make major changes in the way they connect and communicate with their customers, especially when it comes to their support.
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I had a chance to interview Geoff Webb from PROS, a company that specializes in using AI and innovation to drive a better buyer and customer experience. We discussed exactly this dilemma that companies are finding themselves in. We agreed that there must be a balance between digital solutions—including artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots, a Frequently Asked Questions page on the company’s website, video tutorials, etc.—and a human connection. Even if you have great online solutions, there must be an easy, seamless transition to a human fallback. Webb says, “If you can meld the human and the AI pieces of sales and service, you can power a much better experience. Bringing together the analytic power of AI and the context and empathy power of a human being can deliver an incredibly personalized, really effective selling and support process.”