As printers consolidate and claim better customer service because of “bigger” (often automated) offerings to drive convenience and competency, customer service must focus on smaller targets – namely personalized efforts supporting one person at a time. Despite all the hype, countered by never-ending tech snafus that too often make customer experiences less convenient and competent, promoting mega-platforms to address all needs at any time is simply unrealistic (and leaves out a key part of the puzzle).

Compounding “bigger is better” customer service promises often is a lack of remediation channels when things go south. Relegating customers to AI-driven chat and digital resolution is an effort to save money, but typically it winds up alienating (and losing) customers who crave a personal conversation and resolution with a live human being.

A fall Forbes.com article addresses the issue of personal care with elegant simplicity: “Regulars at Dutch Bros Coffee often say that the flavorful beverages brought them to the drive-thru coffee chain, but the smiling employees are what keep them coming back…’Love the coffee, love the employees. Every time I go, I feel like a VIP…‘I’ve never had such amazing, friendly attitudes before Dutch Bros’…Consistently friendly, helpful and all-around excellent customer service.’”

The article continues: “Such raves for Dutch Bros Coffee come courtesy of a year-long online survey conducted by HundredX, a data analytics company focused on customer insights that forms the backbone of Forbes’ first-ever list of the Best Customer Service. About 200,000 US residents provided 4.2 million evaluations across more than 3,000 different worldwide brands, focusing on four categories of customer service – people (employees who interact with customers); speed (time to provide the good or service); services (processes associated with the product or service, such as installation protocols and delivery options); and resolution (how well problems are resolved).”

Employees connecting this way to customers is key to positive customer service feelings – feelings unlikely to ever be duplicated by artificial intelligence. Customers yearn for real, sincere, caring personal contact more than ever.

Notes the Forbes article: “Familiar faces help…employee connections with customers can be pivotal. Shep Hyken, author of books such as The Cult of the Customer and a frequent speaker on customer service and experience, says that ‘anybody who’s on that front line who is ever going to interact with a customer needs to understand this awesome responsibility they have to be the one person representing the entire company at that moment – like the CEO of the moment.’”

For product manufacturers accustomed to top-notch personalized customer service, expect it to continue – no matter if/how the ownership structure of particular vendors (including printers) changes. For product manufacturers not receiving this type of service, expect it to start, or else strongly consider going somewhere else.

Here’s why: Emphasis on personal customer service is only going to increase among companies desirous of thriving, not just surviving. Those that attempt to capture all customer service needs via technology ultimately will suffer – first in loss of customers and resulting bad reviews, later in potentially company-killing loss of revenues.

In contrast, companies that “get it” will continue to emphasize and improve both technology and personal service. Properly aligned, the two can form a powerful one-two customer service punch.

For the most part, I’m a digital enthusiast when it comes to using the best of technology to do such things as pay bills easily and quickly, schedule appointments, buy stuff, and more. I love that I can go to Amazon easily, quickly, and conveniently to order all holiday presents – as was the case in 2023. But, I also expect that customer service rep on the other end of the phone at Amazon to accommodate my needs should personal outreach prove necessary.
Understanding that Amazon does not put a customer service phone number in plain sight (obviously to encourage digital interaction instead), it is there, and once you unlock the secret, it’s actually pretty easy. Hint: Start by hitting the “Help” link on the Amazon homepage footer. By going through a couple steps, you ought to be get to a “more help” screen, offering both phone and chat support.

This technology-personal customer service protocol isn’t perfect, but it beats being relegated to digital help resources where an obviously poorly-programmed chatbot does nothing but cause continuing frustration. All of this is common sense and really nothing new except in its expanding scale. Technology has been advancing since the invention of the wheel. Personal customer service has gone through its ups and downs, and currently is under assault in mega-corporate environments trying to ramp up efficiency and save money. All of the damning reputation reports and reviews are strong evidence that “all technology, all the time” doesn’t work. At the end of the day, confirm that those you do business with pair 21st century, up-to-date technology with old-fashioned, personalized customer service. That will prove the sweet spot that keeps you coming back.

Mark Lusky is the president of Lusky Enterprises, Inc. (www.markluskycommunications.com), a 41-year-established marketing communications company dedicated to clients who live and breathe trust, likeability, and respect (thereby eschewing the “lie, cheat, steal” culture so prevalent today). Contact him at: 303-621-6136; [email protected].