Modern technology has paved the way for the automation of a lot of things. Instead of stopping to ask for directions, for example, we can simply input our destination in our GPS unit. Instead of calling up the local cinema about the day’s screening times, all we need to do is talk directly to our phone and ask Siri to give us the information we need.
Automation has made it easier for us to live our lives. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this technology also makes it easier for businesses to operate. If that’s the case, though, do businesses still need people to help with customer services or can chatbots take care of that?
Why we still need customer service
The short answer to the question above is: yes, businesses still need people. Although automation has made it possible for most human tasks to go to robots, there are still a few things in the workplace that humans are better at than machines.
So, if you’re mulling over if investing in a VoIP phone system is a bad idea, don’t worry because it’s not. Your business will always need people to take care of the customer service department.
Personal touch
One of the reasons is that customers will always value a company that cares for them. The most important part of the seller-customer relationship is the personal touch, and if you replace that with artificial intelligence, you might just alienate your buyers.
If a customer wants to complain about a product, it would be better if a person handles their complaintsrather than a chatbot. A real person can help diffuse the situation by talking calmly to the customer. Robots may be good in many things, but they can never replace humans when it comes to calming down irate individuals.
Also, having real people to take care of your customer service needs is irreplaceable. Despite what other people might think, there’s more that goes on between a customer and a customer service representative than just closing a sale or managing a complaint. Customer service representatives can also build relationships with customers that artificial intelligence will never be able to do.
Loyalty development
Customer service that’s provided by real people can help develop loyalty among customers, which is great because it’s actually cheaper to retain customers than to get new ones. According to business management experts, returning customers are likely to spend more on your products than first-time ones. So, if you’re able to retain customers, you’re more likely to increase your profits.
And when it comes to retaining customers, one of the essential factors to this is having real people taking care of their needs. Customer service isn’t just about placating irate customers, but also about taking care of them so that they’ll be persuaded to come back and buy again.
So, before you start thinking that automation would be far better for your customer service needs, think again. Technology may have enabled AI to do almost anything that humans can do, but it will never be able to replace people when it comes to taking good care of customers.