Relationships suffering

Loss of person - a cultural mechanization of interaction

Relationships are built on trust, respect and mutual appreciation (if not benefit). When an interaction is devoid of these characteristics, an unemotional transactional encounter leaves little residue for future connection.

Society is nudging to a series of systematic and programmed interactions, where no parties experience enjoyment in the engagement. Are we becoming a mechanical series of anticipated moves, when a conclusion is reached the relationship disconnects with as much emotion as computers playing chess?

What happens to our business culture when personality is stripped from conversation? A loss of person, de-humanized interaction, a purely transactional relationship. More and more customers purchase from the internet for this experience, and perhaps now the traditional forms of soft skills and rapport building are lost arts. With our attention firmly glued to mobile status updates and SMS, this is now transferred to business interaction.

It’s not just business, many interactions are becoming mechanical. I expect healthcare interactions are migrating this direction as necessity from increasing interaction costs, burdensome demands and diminishing respect of employers and clients (government and patients) encourage clinical and brisk relationships.

As much as any sector pushing the rapid interaction needle, is financial services. Often banking decisions are inflexible at local levels (credit unions being the exception), and the relationship culture is being disrupted through loss of influence.

Financial services are arguably the most consistently successful sector of the Canadian economy. Shareholders demand greater returns and the system is forced to adapt, tighten efficiency and replace human compassion with sales targets and upselling.

According to the 2017 J.D. Power annual banking satisfaction study, 58 per cent of banking clients use four or more connection points to their banks (web, tellers, contact centers, etc.) and customer satisfaction is on the decline for most channels.

A high-pressure accountability culture is replacing the small community spirit of ‘helping thy neighbor’. It’s hard to pinpoint when this culture changed, but even governments are demanding more of business and providing less in return (ie: federal finance minister Bill Morneau’s recent tax policies).

Increasing taxation demands with unforgiving collection terms, punitive repercussions and punishing compliance are removing the enthusiasm and accomplishments of operating a small business.

With this loss of connection and meaningful interaction, comes a loss of loyalty. According to Accenture’s 2020 Banking Customer report, customer loyalty program adoption is rising but still banks are failing to maintain customers.

It’s difficult for a culture to retreat from a trajectory (which causes pause for U.S. relations), however the arc of the trajectory can be influenced. Business must slow the depersonalization trends and push government to support an agreeable cultural course. Impacts can start with small business where change may be implemented and customer responses can be measured.