Exceptional customer service has historically been linked with high levels of human interaction. The more frequent dealings with a person, in real life or over the phone, the higher the perception of great service.
Here we’ll ask why this might be an outdated notion. Many industries have naturally adapted to a “human-less” interface and even enhanced their quality of customer service in the process. Retail is a sector that has seamlessly transitioned, as has finance, with digital-only services like Monzo bringing customer service to a speed far beyond what a physical bank could offer.
Saas (Software as a Service) is a key player in this shift, having grown out of the online era. However, some sectors conceived long before the internet are still catching up. Industries, where face-to-face interaction is more ingrained, are distinguishable by the high-stakes decisions customers have to make in these spheres. For example, buying a home or a car.
These typically life-making decisions have made digital transformation a challenge, where customers expect human guidance and require a level of trust, security, and reassurance that online methods haven’t always been able to provide.
Real Estate
With over half of house chains falling through before completion, it’s understandable that home sellers still gravitate towards in-person guidance for such a lengthy process.
However, some services have looked at solving the root problem, and in doing so have found a successful way of taking home selling online. Platforms like WeBuyAnyHome have, for example, focused on providing a service that balances efficiency with reliability. The core factors that make home selling so precarious are feeble chains and unpredictable buyers. By eliminating these factors, these online services allow clients to sell their house in as little as seven days with a guaranteed sale.
Streamlining the transaction with fast and transparent online services has reduced the traditionally high-contact nature of home-selling, all the while improving efficiency and convenience for the customer.
Automotive Sales
A similar commerce, albeit dealing with a smaller ticket item, is car sales. Traditionally a high-contact process, it once involved trips to dealerships, lengthy negotiations, and a fair amount of face-to-face bartering. However, platforms like Carvana have revolutionized this space, offering a fully online car-buying experience. They provide transparent pricing, detailed car histories, and convenient delivery options, all while minimizing the need for in-person dealings. This high-information approach enhances trust through clear information and customer-friendly policies.
So, what can we take away from these innovations and utilise in our own online customer service practices? These examples show us that the key to a successful digital transformation is achieved by pinpointing the root problems that historically complicate the sales process. By solving or eliminating them at the source, these sectors show us that exceptional customer service for large and personal transactions can thrive in an online world.
