Despite advances in digitization, a human touch remains end-users’ top demand.

Digital transformation is enabling it to become increasingly easier, faster, and more seamless to move customers from one touchpoint to the next, and through to conversion. Digital marketing attracts the leads, automation processes reel them in, and comprehensive websites enable remote browsing and purchasing. 

That being said, living in the digital era has not turned the consumer population into a mass of apathetic robots. They remain, after all, humans, and continue to seek a human touch in even the most digitized of interactions. 

Companies tend to assume that customer service activities, such as knowledgebases, FAQs, chatbots, etc., are heavily supported and perfectly matched with technology. Unfortunately, that’s simply not a guaranteed reality. But since 80% of consumers are more likely to buy when presented with a tailored experience, and human-oriented activities, like personalization, hold the potential to reduce acquisition costs by up to 50%, boost revenues by 5–15%, and drive marketing spend efficiency by 10–30%, maintaining a human touch is a critical customer-oriented activity brand simply cannot ignore.

Why? 

It takes little effort or resources to understand that technology, which is a veritable asset to life as we know it today, is also a significant factor in the diminishing of human connections. We’re glued to our smartphones but participate in fewer phone conversations. We hungrily comb through social media profiles, but our engagement is less meaningful conversations. And we get from Point A to Point B far more seamlessly, efficiently, and securely, but spend far less time and invest far less of ourselves at our destination, before turning on our heels and heading elsewhere. 

But despite our affinity for the technologically innovative, we continue to crave human touch. Customers want to get to know the face behind the business; the voice behind the code, text, and calls to action; the human with the mission & vision behind the marketing campaigns. 

There is great value in the human touch. It’s how consumers get to know your brand, learn to appreciate your offering, and trust you with their time and money. To set your brand apart from the competition, you must connect with your customers on a human level – show them that you’re about more than just moving products and increasing your bottom line.

90% of consumers express loyalty to brands that share their values, so making technology work for you, to reflect the human side of your business, is a winning strategy to adopt at once.

How?

There are quite a few best practices that can help you maintain a human touch in the digital era. Here are the top performers, which should ideally be integrated as part of a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy and assimilated within every single one of your business’ departments: 

Start off by implementing a customer-centric attitude. Get to know your customers, deeply and personally, through stellar market research. Learn what they want and need, why they aren’t satisfied by your competitors, and how your offering could resolve their pain points. Then, design your sales, marketing, and consumer service strategies, so that they place the customer front and center. 

Introduce yourself to your customers, through your website’s About page, and in marketing emails. Ask them to introduce themselves to you, in return, by leaving their details with your website’s CRM.  

Use simple language throughout your website, as well as in all your marketing materials, so that anyone can understand your brand, its mission, vision, and what it has to offer. Relay brand messages by telling stories, instead of relying on statistics. And create a blog centered around your brand that speaks to your target audience, as transparently as possible. This will ensure your potential new and existing customers are empowered with all the information they need to make smart purchasing decisions.

Did you know that 73% of consumers state that connecting with friendly employees or customer service agents is a key factor in their developing a relationship with a brand? As such, it’s extremely important that you train your staff to engage in personalization activities and provide a more human customer service experience, including live chat. And always prioritize experiences over conversions. Positive experiences will lead to greater loyalty which, in turn, will drive significantly more conversions for the long-term.   

Bottom line

In an era of digitally-driven customer experiences, brands must never forget that the human touch remains a principal consumer need. While digital innovation continues to grow and evolve, those brands that leverage technology to give customers freedom and control, yet remain genuinely present for when they are needed, are positioned to succeed.

Need help maintaining a human touch with your customers? Contact Highroad about joining our Launchpad, today!