This article was written by Yael Warman, Content Manager at Leverate.
The race to make a human-like robot is on and the reason is a clear answer to the cringing feeling people get when they are directed to an automated machine when all they want is to talk to an actual human being.
It is understandable that companies would implement some level of Automation , after all, it would be impossible for a business to give one-on-one attention to every individual customer and keep their level of customer satisfaction high. Artificial intelligence can be a great tool, however, there are instances in which it simply cannot replace the value of a real help desk and the human ability to judge and react to complex situations in a more caring way.
Establishing a perfect balance between automation and human touch is imperative to a business’ success.
What should a business automate without sacrificing human touch?
- Site monitoring: There is no way to monitor your website or app traffic 24/7 using human beings. It would also not be an efficient use of your human resources. You can, however, implement automated systems to identify signs of trouble and reach out to the customer in real-time when they are experiencing an issue and only then connect them to a human if needed. It can also notify your staff if it 'senses' that a client is in distress, for example, if they keep going back to the help menu; that would be a clear indication that a client needs help and is not finding the answer, hence the system can connect the client with a human being.
- Trigger communication: Send automated e-mails, SMS, push notifications, and instant messages to high-value clients to notify them of certain news releases, reach out to inactive clients, send out promotions and follow up with a client if an action on their part is needed.
- Minor issues: By automating the resolution of minor issues and even preempting customers’ concerns, you can effectively reduce the number of incoming requests requiring human interaction, thus allowing your customer service and tech support personnel to dedicate more time to thoroughly address more complex issues.
- Funnel inquiries and concerns quickly: By reaching out to clients quickly at the very early signs of trouble, you avoid them getting frustrated. Implement automated tools to funnel clients through to live chats, ticket opening, phone support, etc, depending on their specific needs.
Automation shouldn’t replace human interaction just because it is easier or because it reduces your staffing expenses. Automation should be used to enhance human interaction, to start the conversation with your client.
Automation can provide you with the opportunity to engage with clients 24/7, which is particularly important in FX trading, which trades around the clock through multiple time zones; it allows you to seamlessly escalate issues from virtual support to live support in an efficient manner. It can reduce response times, thus improving customer satisfaction and retention.
