LSA Global Insights Newsletter: Customer Service: Technology vs. Relationships...Who Wins?

June 30, 2012

Customer Service: Technology vs. Relationships...Who Wins?

When it comes to customer service, loyalty, and cross-selling, does technology trump relationships? 

As Eric Schmidt, Google's Chairman, recently remarked at Boston University's graduation ceremony, "I believe fully in the power of technology to change the world for the better. And I believe even more fully in the ability of your generation to use that power to great effect-to rule technology...You can't let technology rule you...Take your eyes off of the screen...Have a real conversation...Life is not lived in the glow of a monitor..." 

Customers are not necessarily won and retained because they can "tweet" you or "friend" your company or chat with or email you at 2 am. They are won and retained because they feel important; they believe their business is valued and their voice is genuinely heard and acted upon. Technology, even in Eric Schmidt's opinion it seems, does not trump relationships. 

Recently, we spoke at two major Contact Center Conferences, the Contact Center Association Conference and ICMI's Annual Call Center Exhibition (ACCE). For both conferences, which attract Senior Leaders and Executives nationally and internationally, the prevailing themes/sessions focused on technology with these questions at the forefront: 

  1. How can technology enable your strategy?
  2. How can technology serve your customers more efficiently by enabling self-service?
  3. How can technology capture customer and corporate data that facilitate decisions around future strategies? 

What seemed to be covered in only a cursory way, however, is the keystone question, the one we believe is fundamental to your organization: "How do I equip my talent to truly leverage our technology and culture to implement our most critical strategies?" 


Read more about how to equip your talent to best leverage your technology and unique culture... 

Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned