Making self-service social again
Chatbots, apps and automated call centres have taken the human touch out of customer service, but one business is set to bring it back.
Auckland-based Soul Machines builds computerised humans that can be employed as customer service representatives.
Chief business officer Greg Cross said people craved human interaction in an increasingly digital world where selfservice through screens was the norm.
Cross said chatbots were efficient but their impersonal, transactional manner was decreasing customer satisfaction.
He said digital humans were more engaging than chatbots.
Air New Zealand used one of Soul Machines’ digital humans, named Sophie, as an ambassador for its marketing show in Los Angeles last week.
Sophie wore an Air New Zealand uniform and was trained to answer customers’ questions about the airline’s offerings and what to do in New Zealand. She even spoke with a Kiwi accent.
Last week, Restaurant Brands opened its new $1.6 million KFC Auckland branch featuring four self-service kiosks for customers to order and pay independently.
Restaurant Brands’ New Zealand chief executive, Ian Letele, said not having to speak to a staff member was convenient for customers in a rush. It also freed up the staff’s time to cook rather than serve.
Fast-food chain Mcdonald’s introduced self-service kiosks to its stores in 2015, allowing customers to select their own burger ingredients.
Auckland Airport also launched a selfservice check-in version last year.
Callaghan Innovation national technology networks manager Jesse Keith said more companies introducing digital service offerings would reduce the number of customer service workers.
However, he said the job would change to a customer insights specialist role. Data would help staff suggest new offerings to customers and they could spend their time helping customers when something went wrong, instead of answering quick-fire questions.
‘‘It will become a really powerful role [for humans].’’