In MetroNews.ca today, Charles Davies proposes a radical change to how organizations handle their customer service. He says they should ditch the automated phone technology and go back to having real people on the phones:

“The idea is simple: Get rid of automated telephone systems and bring back the switchboard.”

He makes a good point. Though technology can offer certain productivity gains, we all know how much frustration it can heap on customers trying to get things done. But then he goes on to make an even better suggestion:

Smart companies today are connecting better with their customers. Rather than focusing on how to cut costs they are focusing on giving their customers a better experience. When you do this you’ll increase customer loyalty which should lead to higher revenue, more profits and a healthier company. (Cutting costs can never do this.)

And you can only do this by

To begin with, that use of automation on the phone lines is a bad move. Call centers are designed to get ‘em on the line, get ‘em off the line. But what companies forget is that customers know when they’re being treated badly. And when you’re not treated well, you’re going to go somewhere else or make the company pay.

-Ann Humphries