We talk to each other using our voices less and less these days. In fact, a thousand years from now our vocal chords might shrink to where it is no longer possible to communicate using them. Instead, we may find ourselves twitching our thumbs at each other using a language that we refer to as Morse Code 2.0. With the advent of social media, mobile apps and texting, the burning question is – what long term effect does this communications trend have on customer service and loyalty?
Despite what some may think, our vocal chords are indeed much better adapted to handle communication than our thumbs. Yet we speak to our customers less than ever before and discourage conversing with them at every turn with an overload of self-service systems, applications and options.
But is it possible to have a complex and meaningful problem-solving chat session? Can a customer relationship really blossom 140 characters at a time? Or is your fan page just evolving into an angry mob page? While using technology to save money always deserves a hard look, you must take time out to determine if your organization is trending toward total customer impersonalization, thereby making your customer service a commodity in a highly competitive global marketplace.
Zappos has proven that speaking with customers works. CEO, Tony Hseih, understands the importance of making a human connection with his customers using all-natural methods. In fact, his organic customer service strategy is what makes Zappos customers some of the most loyal in the whole world.
Communicating with our thumbs certainly isn’t going away. But avoid a heads down customer service strategy that shifts too quickly and strongly to the use of social media, mobile applications and texting. These channels of communication should be used to enhance human interpersonal communications with our customers, not replace it. The term “social contact center” shouldn’t be used to describe a technology integration, but should be used to highlight companies that embrace speaking and socializing with their customers in an effort to solve issues, gain trust and promote loyalty.
