Customer Experience Articles

Technology is Evil

Ok, that might be a bit strong. So maybe in and of itself, technology isn't truly evil. But how companies use technology - particularly when creating "better" means of communicating with their customers or employees - can be counter-productive.even, yes, evil.

In fact, by making technology one of the first considerations in the communication process with customers or prospects, you're almost guaranteeing failure.

And what is failure? It's the inability to achieve your short- and long-term objectives - evoking an action or creating a certain perception in the mind of your audience.

Yes, there's some cool stuff out there. Enterprise software to beat the band. CRM tools that will reach out and tap a customer on the shoulder just as his brain decides to think about his next credit card, or haircut, or tire rotation. Content management software to make your web site really sing. In fact, we actually recommend some of these solutions as part of our customer experience solutions. But it's a means to an end, not the end itself. Bells and whistles on a shiny new bike don't really matter if the thing stays in third gear and will only turn to the right.

Here's why technology should be the least of your considerations when first creating the principles and processes for communicating with your customers or employees.

1. It's putting the cart before the horse - Thinking "technology" at the beginning of the customer communications process misses the fundamental issue that needs to be addressed: how do you want the customer to feel about your company, and what do you want that person to do as a result of cumulative contacts over time? Answer those questions first.

2. It's already obsolete - Especially when developing communications processes for large companies, changing the process of how you communicate with your customers can take many months, if not years. If you make a commitment early on for a type of technology, by the time you are done with the transition, you're using last year's capabilities.

3. It's expensive (and sometimes a waste of money) - Sure, sometimes the expense is more than worth it. You can set up systems that do amazing things. But in reality, that's not usually what happens. A recent study suggests that over 40% of CRM software licenses purchased in the last few years have gone unused. That's a big pile of expensive software sitting idle. No results, just costs. The lesson: be sure you know what you're going to accomplish, and how, before investing in more technology.

4. It lacks soul - What I mean is that technology - when considered in a vacuum - can suck the soul or "human-ness" out of company communications - exactly what you don't want to do when trying to connect in a meaningful way to your customers. If your company puts all the parameters and limitations of a certain technical solution in place before creating your ideal messaging and communications "picture," critical customer interaction can become stilted and narrow. Technology can make your relationships more personal, but only if used as a servant to the goals, not the other way around.

So, ok, technology doesn't suck. In fact it's pretty amazing - if exploited for the right pursuits and goals. Just take a breath first, and decide what those goals are, then look at the high-tech solutions. It's cheaper, more effective, and serves your specific needs, not vice versa. Plus, if it's approached the right way, you'll also create a customer experience with some soul.

William Cusick is president and founder of Vox, Inc., a customer experience consulting firm in Chicago specializing in helping financial service companies achieve better bottom-line results through an improved customer experience.

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