April 11, 2005

Customer Service: When to Use A Computer, When To Use A Human

With advances is technology it's getting much easier to make customer service automated - taking away the human element from customer service. However, at times, customers WANT and NEED to speak with a human.

As companies are implementing customer service it's important that they keep a careful balance between saving money by using technology but fulfilling customer needs by using human support when needed.

News Factor writes Speech technology will never be able to calm an angry or belligerent customer, save the business of an unsatisfied, defecting customer or make a potential new customer feel good about himself or herself, leading to that person's loyal business. Speech and self- service technologies are a long way from being able to optimally handle a confused customer or skillfully upsell and cross-sell an existing one.

On the flip side, many customers like their simpler, more straightforward transactions to be as painless and quick as possible. If a customer wants only to find out if check number 537 was presented to his electric company, it's safe to assume that he wants it done fast, and would prefer to accomplish the task without the necessity of making opening and closing "polite human interaction chit-chat" with an agent.

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