Human Interaction in Today’s Digital Era is Here to Stay

07-يوليو-2020

By Dalal AlQais, General Manager of Retail Banking, BisB

It is no secret that faced with this pandemic, companies and organisations across the world were forced to think outside the box to stay in business, many of them turning to digital alternatives as a means for survival. The banking industry in particular, which had embarked on upgrading its digital offerings even before the virus hit as a means to enhance the customer experience, went full force on its tech investments to cope with shifting customer behaviours which changed overnight, proof that digital services have become a necessity for business continuity in the financial world. While the internet is full of debates and discussions on the importance of digitisation, it is imperative that we stay clear on what exactly needs to be digitised.

Most people believe that technology is here to replace human interaction, that it has not only reshaped the way companies do business, but has caused many businesses to become entirely dependent on the adoption of technology to function. Yet, humans remain a crucial component of the business lifeline, even more so than the technology itself. Today, companies are fully capable of automating their customer experience entirely, but a customer service chatbot or AI-powered support page can only do so much.

We are all aware of the increasing role that digital technology plays, not only in the lives of adults, but in that of their children as well. I’ve seen my kids go from relying on technology for entertainment, to being fully dependant on it as a means to facilitate the learning process. Yes, over the last few months we have witnessed a rapid shift in traditional curriculum delivery to online teaching where maintaining a relationship with their peers and embracing the ‘human’ element is a challenging yet vital part of the entire process.

I personally believe that customers develop an emotional connection with every company and product they interact with. Being personal and still being able to offer that human touch remains a unique selling point. No doubt, digital tools have changed the way companies engage with their customers, but it is still important to combine their automated offerings with the human touch.

In today’s digital era, there has been a significant surge in the number of mobile apps, social networks, chatbots, and AI assistants, that facilitate business transactions, yet, despite the widespread adoption of technology, it is even more necessary that we continue to embrace that which is most familiar to us - the human elements.

With time, I have come to realise that digital tools can definitely enhance the customer experience, but Siri or Alexa, are still not capable of replacing people. Innovative technologies that are valuable today may be obsolete tomorrow, and this is why the human touch is what distinguishes a superior customer experience from a poor one.

The one thing humans still have that machines aren't capable of is empathy. Empathy builds the emotional connection which results in trust between a customer and an organisation. It taps into a person’s desire for recognition and delivers a humanised experience, which in turn provides authentic hospitality. Even with the recent shift to digitisation, some customers still prefer to leave their house and visit a branch to complete their banking transactions. This implies that they are still looking for a personalised and responsive level of service.

In our community, we are known for being warm and friendly, and happy to help at any opportunity, therefore to rely solely on technology may be disconcerting for some. Consider the older generations for example, who are not as familiar with technology, and still crave human interaction.

At the end of the day, it’s all about striking the right balance between automation and the personal touch, since technology simply enhances one’s experience but does not define it. The ability to offer a superior customer experience may be simple, but to be able to connect with your customers on a personal level is still crucial. The human interaction in today’s digital era is definitely here to stay.