Don't forget the human touch in Industry 4.0.

Don't forget the human touch in Industry 4.0.
You may have read the latest news about the maiden voyage of the London-Glasgow bedroom service. It wasn't really the beginning that everyone expected. The 140 passengers on the train had reservation problems, water leaks in the cabins and a late conductor. This is the kind of experience that can make or break a brand, especially since disgruntled customers often take to Twitter and Facebook to air their frustrations in just a few minutes. But it was not totally catastrophic for the docking service. Despite tons of angry tweets and negative press, we have to remember that many customers are satisfied with their experience. Because? Because the diligent and helpful train staff were there to help them on their journey, answer questions and always be available. Sounds pretty simple, right? Talking to staff face-to-face can mitigate any difficulties customers face. But there are still so many brands that are not successful. In this article, I'll explain how brands can deliver a seamless customer experience, one that balances technology with the human touch.

listen to the comments

In the Caledonian Sleeper example, passengers felt heard despite youth issues. Reports showed that passengers recognized the efforts made to improve service, taking advantage of positive elements such as baked goods, lockers and more legroom. They clearly felt that their previous comments had been heard and therefore better understood the current gaps. It just shows the power or listening to basic feedback and puts it to use. This can help your brand build customer loyalty and develop your customers' patience and understanding in the event of a problem. Not only that, based on our own data, improved customer service now tops bottom line and revenue growth as a business priority. Listening to feedback is a strategic imperative, not a "nice to have."

Customer Service Operator (Image: © Image Credit: picjumbo.com / Pexels)

Allow staff to cope with setbacks.

Chatbot and AI technology certainly simplify the customer experience journey for many brands, but the human touch is still crucial. Investing in technology is faster, easier and more flexible for your customers, but staff should always be trained and trained to handle customer inquiries and complaints. In the case of the Caledonian Sleeper, passengers generally complimented the train staff on how they handled the many questions on their journey. Staff members would be content and resilient juggling the many incidents. They distributed compensation forms and even went so far as to book taxis for customers who missed connections. The social media team was also incredibly active – responding to as many tweets as possible and as quickly as possible. There's no question that we're embracing the many exciting new technologies out there, but don't let this detract from investing in your equipment. Our "Customer-Centric Organization" report found that 78% of companies see employee attitudes as the top way to improve customer engagement. Your people are your best lawyer.

Human contact can move you

Delays, data breaches, missed deliveries – whatever your brand and services, hiccups are bound to happen. But when they do, a well-trained and motivated customer experience team can help customers feel heard and valued. As businesses increasingly take a multi-channel approach to customer experience, examining how people interact with them over the phone and on the phone, this example from the Caledonian Sleeper is a timely reminder of how neglecting face-to-face interactions can be very harmful. It reveals the importance of building on a customer-centric culture so that, in the event of a problem, the company has motivated and trained staff to leave a lasting positive impression. Simon Brennan, Vice President of Sales at EngageHub

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