Technology benefits companies in numerous ways. There’s no denying that nowadays we can communicate faster than ever before, lean on automations that save both time and money, and turn to technology to solve a wide variety of problems. That being said, it's important to not lose the human touch when incorporating technology into customer interactions. A human touch can go a long way towards increasing brand loyalty amongst your customers.

Let’s look at some tips for retaining the human touch with customers in a digital world when you work in professional services.

Create an Effective Customer Service Experience

2022 Research from Hubspot[1] found that 93% of people were more likely to be repeat customers when a company has excellent customer service. When you provide a valuable service to customers, they often pay for that service at a premium price. Automating your customer service can make them feel abandoned and disrespected. If you can, create a customer service experience that is effective for your business, but that also involves human interaction and that allows for them to address the customer’s unique struggles and concerns.

Get Social

While most brands have a presence on social media, it's not enough to simply post content and walk away. It's super important to engage with customers directly on social media. When a customer follows you on social media, comments on your posts, sends you direct messages, or creates their own content about your products and services, you need to take advantage of the amazing opportunity you're being given. They're choosing to engage with your brand in a way that wasn't possible when advertising consisted of television, radio, and newspaper ads. Take advantage of this social technology to actually make your interactions with your customers more personal. Respond to their feedback, share their user generated content (UGC), and respond to any messages you receive. If a customer or potential customer is taking the time to engage with your brand on social media, engage back.

Focus on Customer Needs Not Competition

It’s very easy to focus on what your competitors are doing so you can try to make your service offerings as competitive as possible. There’s nothing wrong with studying the competition as long as you don’t lose focus on what matters most—the customer.

Your goal should be to create a customer experience that is right for your unique customers. The easiest way to learn more about what your customers need is to engage with them on a personal level. This is another area where human customer service reps can come in handy. They are on the front lines with your customers when they need help and they’ll know firsthand where improvements need to be made. SmartKarrot[2] found that businesses can increase their revenue by 10-15% by improving their customer experience and that when they have a positive customer experience, 72% of consumers share the company with at least six other people. Point being—you have a lot to gain by focusing on building a better customer experience than worrying about one upping your competition. 

Make Room For Human Interaction in Your Communications

Automating communications can be a helpful way to run your operations more effectively and can save you money, but you need to make sure there is still room for human interactions in your customer communications. Think about which areas your customer experience can be improved by adding human interaction in. There is a time and place for automated status updates, but there may also be a time when your customers need to interact with an individual on your team. Think critically about when the right time and place for automation is and when a human touch will go a long way.

The Takeaway

Around every corner is a software or app that promises to automate a new area of your business. The key to taking advantage of these tools while also maintaining a human connection with your customers is to identify when you can lean on technology and when your customers can benefit from some one-on-one interaction with a real individual from your team. Re-evaluate your processes (such as customer service) and your entire customer experience to find where you have the opportunity to connect with your customers in a deeper way.