The future has arrived. With colossal advancements in technology over the past few years, businesses are now looking to invest heavily in digital transformation strategies and concepts not only to improve customer user experience but also to ensure their bottom line remains competitive. That being said, in areas such as sales and marketing, the human element that connects individuals to businesses can never completely be replaced and replicated by emerging technology, devices, or applications – no matter how disruptive or innovative.
The human-technology interface works to turn leads to sales and improve the end-user experience because it can transform the products we buy into something we need, crave and desire. As technology pervades our lives, it also affects our behaviour as buyers. Whether you’re buying your favourite products online or in a store via self-checkout, it’s becoming apparent that human interaction is quickly becoming a premium service. Alongside this, access to technology means that the buyer is also more informed than ever before, especially when it comes to purchasing decisions.
To successfully navigate digital transformation strategies, organisations must understand the value in both technology and human interaction. There are tasks in which technology brings a better skill set than humans, such as consuming vast amounts of data and number crunching. Humans excel in our ability to empathise, compromise and be creative. These are all things that technology simply cannot emulate. A computer can display messages via chat bots and virtual assistants based on recent online behaviours, but there is no further emotion or personal attachment. As we interact less with humans and more with technology, the value of the human interaction, especially in the buying process, will increase.
We can contextually bend the rules and make instinctive and intuitive compromises that set human interactions apart. Unlike the current technologies out there, salespeople are able to go truly above and beyond by guiding, advising and consulting with customers. This brings intangible value to the customer and tangible value to their businesses in the process. When undergoing the process of digital transformation, organisations must remember the relative strengths and weaknesses of both. When it comes to sales and marketing, technology excels in operational & administrative tasks such as number-crunching and data analysis for lead generation. For now, at least, humans can still offer the all-important tailored and personalised experience for customers to ensure that all bases are covered.
As end-user expectations rise – both in B2B and B2C – digital transformation strategies must work not only to improve the consumer experience but also to ensure that human interaction is never completely diminished. By investing in both digital and human transformation strategies, organisations can take a dual approach and remove the perceived barriers to success by providing customers and prospects with the best of both worlds.
By David Du Pré, vice president EMEA at Showpad
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