The Importance of Human Interaction in Digital CX

1. What is Digital CX

Digital customer experience refers to customers' interactions and experiences with a company through digital channels such as websites, mobile apps, and chatbots throughout their entire journey. This type of customer experience is typically characterised by quick and convenient access to information, personalisation through the use of AI and data algorithms, and the ability to complete transactions in real-time.

The main difference between digital customer experience and human interaction customer experience is the level of personalisation and the speed and efficiency of the interactions. Digital customer experience is typically faster and more convenient but may lack the personal touch and emotional connection of human interactions. Human interaction customer experience, on the other hand, can provide a deeper level of personalisation and empathy but may be slower and less efficient.

While many organisations aim to build exceptional digital journeys, they often omit the importance of human interaction in the journey and give the customer the choice to switch mid-way through the journey to achieve their desired outcome with minimal effort and frustration. 

2. What are the key benefits of Digital CX?

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are increasingly leveraging technology to enhance their customer experience (CX) strategies. Digital tools and platforms offer numerous advantages, such as:

  1. Increased Efficiency

Digital CX tools streamline processes, reducing the time and effort required to serve customers. Automation of routine tasks allows businesses to handle a higher volume of interactions without compromising quality.

  1. Scalability

Digital platforms enable businesses to scale their operations quickly and efficiently. Whether expanding to new markets or handling increased demand, digital CX solutions can be adjusted to meet changing business needs.

  1. Data-Driven Insights

Digital CX provides access to vast amounts of data, allowing businesses to gain insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and trends. This data can be used to make informed decisions and tailor offerings to meet customer needs better.

  1. Enhanced Personalisation

With digital tools, businesses can offer personalised experiences at scale. By analysing customer data, companies can deliver targeted content, recommendations, and offers that resonate with individual customers.

  1. 24/7 Availability

Digital CX solutions, such as chatbots and self-service portals, provide customers with round-the-clock access to information and support. This availability enhances customer satisfaction by meeting their needs at any time.

  1. Cost-Effectiveness

Digital CX reduces the need for extensive physical infrastructure and manual labour, leading to cost savings. Automation and self-service options also decrease the cost per interaction, improving overall efficiency.

  1. Improved Customer Engagement

Digital platforms facilitate interactive and engaging experiences through multimedia content, social media, and personalised communication. This engagement fosters stronger relationships between businesses and their customers.

  1. Consistent Experience Across Channels

Digital CX ensures a consistent experience across various touchpoints, including websites, mobile apps, and social media. This consistency builds trust and reinforces brand identity.

  1. Rapid Feedback and Adaptation

Digital tools enable businesses to gather real-time feedback from customers, allowing for quick adjustments and improvements. This agility helps companies stay competitive and responsive to customer needs.

  1. Global Reach

Digital CX breaks down geographical barriers, enabling businesses to reach and serve customers worldwide. This global reach opens up new markets and opportunities for growth.

By leveraging these benefits, businesses can enhance their customer experience, drive loyalty, and achieve long-term customer success. Research in 2024[1] has shown that customers, for the first time, have identified that their preferred channel for contacting organisations is through digital channels, not through the phone, as it has been for many years. This highlights the importance of focusing on digital CX.

[1] The state of Digital CX- 2024 -, Verint, P.6

However, the human element remains a critical component of a successful CX strategy. This post explores why and how companies should integrate human interaction into their digital CX strategies to create a more engaging, personalised, and effective customer experience.

3. The importance of human interaction in digital CX

One key failing in digital CX strategies is to completely omit the human interaction in the customer’s journey and purposely design journeys that effectively force customers to remain within their digital channels. Effective digital strategies are the ones that enable customers to easily switch between channels, without frustration, during the digital journey. On many occasions, customers may commence their digital journeys but later find that they cannot achieve the desired outcome from the digital channels on offer. Without an easy off-ramp to speak or interact with a human, customers experience frustration and often abandon their journeys. The research[1] tells us that 67% of customers associate good CX with the ability to contact a company on their preferred channel. 87% of customers associate good CX with the speed of response, and 74% identified the ease of resolving their issues as important. This is defined as good CX, regardless of whether it is digital or not. Human interactions can play a key role in making the digital journey more rewarding to the customer, offering more hybrid journeys based on their preferences.

[1] The state of Digital CX- 2024 -, Verint, P.7

Human interactions in digital journeys can offer the following:

  1. Building Emotional Connections

Human interaction is essential for building emotional connections with customers. While digital platforms can provide information and facilitate transactions, they often lack the warmth and empathy that human interactions offer. By incorporating human touchpoints, companies can foster trust, loyalty, and a sense of belonging among their customers. Emotional connections are crucial in differentiating a brand in a competitive market, as they create memorable experiences that resonate with customers on a personal level.

  1. Enhancing Personalisation

Personalisation is a key driver of customer satisfaction and loyalty. While digital tools can analyse data to offer personalised recommendations, human interactions can provide a deeper level of personalisation. Customer service representatives, for example, can listen to customers' unique needs and preferences, offering tailored solutions that digital algorithms might miss. This level of personalisation can lead to increased customer satisfaction, as customers feel valued and understood by the brand.

  1. Resolving Complex Issues

Not all customer issues can be resolved through automated systems. Complex problems often require human intervention to understand the nuances and provide appropriate solutions. By integrating human support into their digital CX strategy, companies can ensure that customers receive the assistance they need, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. Human agents can also provide reassurance and clarity in situations where automated responses may fall short, enhancing the overall customer experience.

A recent survey found that 68% of respondents had a bad experience with a chatbot because the chatbot either couldn’t answer their questions or did not understand what they needed. Yet, even with this result many organisations still make it very difficult to reach a human agent to answer their questions. Multiple chatbots are designed in a manner that leads to customer frustration and poor customer experience.

  1. Facilitating Trust and Transparency

In an era where data privacy and security are paramount, human interactions can play a vital role in building trust and transparency. Customers are more likely to trust a brand that offers direct human contact, especially when discussing sensitive issues or concerns. Human agents can provide clear explanations and address doubts, fostering a sense of security and reliability in the brand.

4. How to integrate human interaction in digital CX

There are a number of ways an organisation can integrate human interactions into their digital CX journeys to generate positive experiences for customers and achieve effective outcomes. Outlined below are the key approaches to integrating human interactions in digital CX:

  1. Omnichannel Approach

An omnichannel approach allows customers to interact with a company through multiple channels, both digital and human. By offering seamless transitions between digital platforms and human interactions, companies can provide a cohesive and flexible customer experience. For example, a customer might start a conversation with a chatbot and then be seamlessly transferred to a human agent for more complex inquiries. This approach ensures that customers have access to the right level of support at every stage of their journey. The important aspect is to let the customer choose when to get off the digital ramp and not to force them to remain on the same channel because there is no seamless handover.

  1. Make Complex Processes Hybrid from the Outset

Some business processes lead to high abandonment rates on digital channels because they are complex with multiple steps. Once you identify such a process, it is best to design it as a hybrid process from the outset. Don’t wait to lose customers or receive multiple negative feedback. Design the process to be hybrid and deliver the least effort for your customers. The process may begin with a simple form filled out online by the customer that a human agent then facilitates to complete the transaction. This approach is particularly important for processes involving new customers wanting to join or customers seeking to leave you.

  1. Empowering Customer Service Representatives

Companies must empower their customer service representatives with the right tools and training to effectively integrate human interaction. This includes providing access to customer data, enabling them to offer personalised solutions, and training them in empathy and communication skills to enhance the quality of interactions. Empowered representatives are more likely to deliver exceptional service as they have the resources and confidence to address customer needs effectively.

  1. Leveraging Technology to Support Human Interaction

Technology can be used to augment human interactions rather than replace them. For instance, AI-driven analytics can give customer service representatives insights into customer behaviour and preferences, allowing them to offer more informed and personalised assistance. Additionally, video calls and co-browsing tools can enhance the quality of human interactions in a digital context. Companies can create a more efficient and effective CX strategy by leveraging technology to support human agents.

  1. Gathering and Acting on Customer Feedback

Human interactions provide valuable opportunities to gather customer feedback. Companies should actively seek feedback during these interactions and use it to improve their digital CX strategy. Companies can refine their digital tools and human touchpoints to better meet customer needs by understanding customer pain points and preferences. Feedback loops also demonstrate to customers that their opinions are valued, further strengthening the relationship between the brand and its customers.

  1. Creating a Culture of Customer-Centricity

Integrating human interaction into a digital CX strategy requires a cultural shift towards customer-centricity. Companies must prioritise the customer experience at every level of the organisation, ensuring that all employees understand the importance of human interaction in delivering exceptional service. By fostering a culture of customer-centricity, companies can create a unified approach to CX that aligns with their digital and human touchpoints.

Incorporating human interaction into a digital CX strategy is not just beneficial but essential for creating a well-rounded and effective customer experience. Human interactions complement digital tools and platforms by building emotional connections, enhancing personalisation, resolving complex issues, and facilitating trust and transparency. Companies that successfully integrate human touchpoints into their digital CX strategies will be better positioned to foster customer loyalty, satisfaction, and long-term success.