Why digital businesses need tech that values human interactions
We live in a tech-savvy world. Everyone around us uses some sort of technology to get through the day – from mobile phones to smartwatches to talking appliances in the home. When you're buying groceries, tracking that 5km run or asking Google’s Alexa to play your favourite song, the technology you’re using usually gets the job done.
If you’re a digital business with customers facing high-value, emotional or complex decisions, you’ve probably realised technology doesn’t replace real human interactions. But when you bring the two together – people and technology – you can create memorable customer experiences that are even better-than-in-person.
That’s why digital businesses need tech that values human interactions and puts people at the centre of everything they do. Hear us out, we’ll tell you exactly why we think why you still need the human touch to set your business apart.
Why is the human touch so important?
Human interaction can mean different things to different people – it could be an email at precisely the right time or a face-to-face chat with your customer. With big-ticket items like home loans or your annual tax return, customers will want personal interactions at some point in the journey.
A 2021 McKinsey survey reports that customers are looking for a cross-channel mix, choosing in-person, remote, and digital self-serve interactions equally. And that means sales and service experts need to find new and innovative ways to meet their customers when and where they want. McKinsey concluded:
“Today’s account managers need to be experts, and digital tools can help them provide their expertise to their customers. The human conversation facilitates and drives the customisation, while the digital tools bring the quick visualisation and specifications—including pricing tradeoffs—into sharp relief. Neither works without the other.”
Customers don’t want run-of-the-mill advice when there’s complex decision making or big bucks on the line. While many seek accessible support both digitally and in-person, they also want personalised advice based on their circumstances. And this is when the human touch really shines.
Knowing when to hand off to a human
Simplifying your day-to-day is one of the most significant advantages of technology. Especially when it helps businesses complete menial tasks that take up a lot of time — like document management, contract reminders and following up on cold leads. Companies today are using sophisticated software applications like video conferencing, CRM systems and email marketing platforms to simplify their sales funnel.
By automating low-value tasks, sales and service experts have more time to focus on what really matters – providing value to their customers and ultimately converting them. You can find a tool to automate pretty much anything these days, but while they might improve process efficiencies and speed up conversion, they come with limitations too. Finding the right balance between automation and human interactions can be tricky.
Before choosing software to support your customers and your team of experts, every business should identify the stages in their sales funnel that require the human touch. Make sure the software you choose enables you to have meaningful human interactions when your customer needs them.
Here are a few of the touch points we think you should consider:
- Fact finding or discovery sessions – getting to know your customer and their needs
- Lead nurturing – providing options and solutions to your customer’s problems
- Onboarding – capture customer details and introduce them to your services
- Ongoing support – customer check-ins or post-sale meetings
How Expertli is humanising sales and support tech
Here at Expertli, we really value human interaction. With the right technology, businesses can simplify the sales funnel while still providing customers with face-to-face interactions, remote collaboration and self-service when it’s needed.
We believe there are four must-haves to deliver a great online experience with the right amount of human interaction:
- Ease of connection — connecting with your customers online must be convenient and really simple. For us, that means no clunky technology or downloads.
- Personalised experiences for every customer — face-to-face personalisation and collaborative relationship building are a must.
- Instant fact find and solution visualisation — use interactive tools to show your customer that you understand their needs and what solutions you can offer.
- Safe and straightforward document sharing — make it clear what comes next by providing easy to follow checklists and the ability to upload and share documents in your own time.
At Expertli, we’ve created a better-than-in-person experience that enables you to build relationships with customers and help solve their problems from anywhere in the world. Our virtual workspaces allow you to chat face-to-face and collaborate with your customers. It also boasts bank-grade security and safe document sharing.
A simple and seamless sales funnel leveraging digital technology to support human interaction is the future of the sales and service industry. With the right people and tools, you can make your online experience even better than in real life.
Ready to drastically improve your sales process? Chat with the Expertli today or request a free demo.