7 Ways To Humanize Your Company’s Technology

Business owners face the unique challenge of providing great service while maintaining profitability. Recent advancements in technology promise to make this task easier than ever, but an overreliance on tech can alienate customers and erode their trust. How can you use customer service technology in a way that’s productive? The key is to center it around customers’ needs and eliminate common obstacles. Read on to learn about seven ways to humanize your tech.

1. Use AI Strategically

Artificial intelligence has emerged as the standard solution to many issues in tech. In addition to reducing expenses, proponents say that it can offer better service and meet customers’ needs more efficiently. Some statistics say otherwise, though — according to research, about 41% of consumers rate their AI interactions eight out of ten starts or less. This means that many people aren’t entirely pleased with AI tech. Rather than relying on this technology, then, you should use it sparingly and strategically. Weigh the potential expense of dissatisfied customers before fully investing in the AI revolution.

2. Don’t Gatekeep Humans

One of the most common frustrations among consumers is the difficulty they often face when trying to get in touch with a person. Indeed, if you’ve ever attempted to call a company only to be cycled through an endless loop of automated menus, you know just how infuriating this can be. You don’t want to subject your customers to this experience, so it’s important not to gatekeep humans in your customer service infrastructure. Give your customers the tools to quickly reach a person and avoid exasperation.

3. Enable Dynamic Dialogue

When your customers reach out to a person, what happens next? Do they have a cold, transactional conversation, or do they enjoy a dynamic dialogue? The answer should be the latter, and it will be when you invest in rich communication services. RCS is a revolutionary customer service platform that lets companies use SMS to connect with clients in a way that’s authentic and fun. Create opportunities for meaningful interaction with GIFs, file sharing, and other unique features that customers will love.

4. Incorporate Emotion

Tools that enable dynamic dialogue also allow you to incorporate emotion into your interactions with customers — and contrary to popular belief, this isn’t mutually exclusive with AI and other tech. In fact, you can use tech tools to develop emotionally competent service protocols for your customers. When your clients contact you seeking support, for example, it’s likely that they are feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. You can use humanized tech solutions to quell these feelings, offer reassurance, and encourage customers to remain optimistic.

5. Prioritize Privacy

One of the biggest concerns that consumers have about tech is its vulnerability to compromise. A nameless, faceless AI bot might be vulnerable to cybercriminals, and a major data breach could leave customers susceptible to attack. Companies must humanize their tech and combat this concern by implementing security safeguards throughout every part of the customer service process. Investing in encryption, for example, protects private data from being intercepted during communications.

6. Anticipate Needs

Although AI is rapidly evolving and improving, it still lacks the intuitive ability that a human customer service agent will possess — and this intuition is imperative to offering exemplary service. You can bridge the gap, though, with predictive technology that analyzes patterns and suggests solutions. This kind of technology utilizes algorithms that account for countless customer interactions and learn from the outcome of each. This allows for the ability to improve over time and anticipate customers’ needs with greater accuracy.

7. Ensure Accessibility

Accessibility may be the most important metric of all when it comes to humanizing your customer service tech. Your customers want to be able to reach a person, find solutions, and receive support without jumping through hoops. Businesses have a responsibility to enable this by providing accessibility features such as adequate color contrast, assistive technology compatibility, and screen reader tools. This will ensure that customers of all abilities will have a positive experience with your company’s support team. When it comes to customer service, technology can be both a blessing and a curse. By using communication strategically and offering humanized solutions, though, you can provide your clients with the support that they need.