56% of consumers say help from real people earns trust
More than nine in 10 consumers say actively investing in authentic human connection creates long-term competitive advantage for brands, according to research conducted by Ricoh USA Inc.
As part of Customer Service Week, the imaging and electronics giant partnered with human connection expert Erica Dhawan to survey more than 1,000 people across Canada and the U.S. to produce its report, Human Connection in a Digital Age.
Despite the call from vendors to use artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to automate various aspects of customer service, the research found a close connection between trust and human support. For example, 47 per cent said brands relying mostly on human support will not only be more trusted now, but over the next decade.
Half of those surveyed also said they are more likely to be loyal to companies that prioritize using human employees over exclusively offering automated or self-service options.
The human factor could also have a direct impact on the bottom line: Ricoh’s data shows 87 per cent would be willing to pay more for a product or service if the experience felt personal. Meanwhile, 92 per cent said they would be more willing to forgive a company where a rep takes the time to understand what happened and make it right.
“Trust is built, not programmed,” said Dhawan in a press release accompanying the findings. “When organizations combine smart technology with genuine human service, they earn loyalty that lasts. Ricoh’s teams show how consistency, empathy, and authentic connection turn customers into long-term partners.”
360 Magazine Insight
You’d almost expect a company that specializes digital printing and imaging to be all-in for automation, but Ricoh’s research feels surprisingly genuine in reinforcing the power of human connection.
It’s not like the company is against making strategic use of technology: a recent eBook highlights opportunities to digitize sectors like retail with connected commerce. Even there, however, empowering people is the over-arching theme.
Normally most of us don’t bother glancing at a company’s boilerplate at the end of a press release, but it’s worth pointing out that Ricoh’s stated mission and vision is to “empower individuals to find Fulfillment through Work by understanding and transforming how people work.” This study feels like an authentic extension of that mission.
There’s some interesting demographic breakdowns here that suggest Millennials are more concerned about overly-automated experiences. There’s also a call to action of sorts in the 32 per cent who said the quality of customer service they’ve experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic is about the same.
This report is also ungated, and could be a helpful bellwether in assessing how to blend technology with human service and support.
