The Digital Age

In this digital age of communication, automation and A.I. the human touch is lost. But, the customer experience is being left to standardised email responses, scripted virtual assistance and programmed chat bots. Added to this, talking to a ‘real person’ has become a novelty. The personal touch is fliting. Getting a Human Touch in Business is what is needed.

Systemising for Systemising Sake

Sometimes, businesses think systemising the customer experience saves time and money. What they don’t realise is that it isn’t what the customer wants. Getting a Human Touch in Business is what they want.

Read these these surprising statistics summarised by SmartHQ

  • 80% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand who provides personalised experiences.
  • Over 70% of consumers feel frustrated when their shopping experience is impersonal.
  • 63% of consumers stop buying from companies who provide poor  personalisation.
  • Great personalisation can reduce acquisition costs by as much as 50%, raise and increase marketing efficiency
Personalisation

First, by making sure that your business improves the customer experience is key to growing. Moreover, every customer has more options than ever before. Making changes to your marketing or business operations may be frowned upon as too costly. If that is the case, then ask yourself this. “Is the lifetime value of a customer who feels cared for and catered to is worth the initial expense?”

“A better customer experience generates loyal customers. Loyal customers recommend your brand to colleagues, friends, and family. This amounts to free advertising. 73% of consumers claim the customer experience is the biggest deciding factor in their purchase decisions and brand loyalties. It is way  ahead of product quality and price” (Swan, 2020).

The Human Touch

Coupled with these, adding a human touch at every stage of the customer’s journey requires an objective evaluation of the current situation. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Don’t make excuses for the lack of humanity. In any event, use data to make the changes necessary. Invest in a platform or CRM to help you manage the customer’s data. Ultimately everything you do has to be driven by your data. Data isn’t human or personal but the clues and insight you get from purchasing behaviour. It can help you transform process, policies, and actions your business adapts.

Customer Data

Eaually important is customer data. This could be surveys, online forms, and polls. Pay attention to the feedback. On social media don’t lecture, engage. Get a Human Touch in Business

How about answering social media posts? Also, ask probing questions. Maybe get a conversation going. You would be surprised how powerful this unfiltered feedback can be.

Uniquely, Southwest Airlines use social media to drive many changes to the customer experience simply by listening to customers comment on Twitter.

Other ways to humanise your brand:
  • First, always add photos of real people to your marketing.
  • Also, use your employees as advocates for your business too.
  • Moreover, show your playful side online.
  • Utilise user content.
  • Couple this with personal handwritten notes.
  • Create online communities to discuss issues and share ideas.
  • Send welcome or thank you gifts to loyal or new customers.
  • Get a professional social media team.
  • Don’t be afraid to talk about setbacks or failures.
  • In addition, ewrite emails to be more conversation less sanitised.
  • Also, insert names and customer specific information in your marketing outreach.
  • Remember to stay relevant and authentic.
Staff Engagement

Third, personalising your business must extend to every level. By engaging staff to transform the journey of your customers, it can be noteably more insightful and illuminating. Share ideas openly and reward risk taking to foster a sense of connection and real engagement within your organisation.

Getting the human touch in business starts with a focus on the needs and wants of your customers.

Finally, get the Human Touch in Business by taking my business health check by clicking here