Customer Experience (CX) has emerged as a critical differentiator for businesses in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace. In a digital age, there is a vast array of customer service channels – websites, online portals, chatbots, self-checkout machines, to name just a few – which puts into question the value of the human touch in customer experiences today.  

To explore the sentiments of different countries across ASEAN, we spoke to over 3,000 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in our latest Blackbox-CINT ASEANScan study. This article explores the importance of human interaction in customer service, analysing different modes of communication and how they impact the future of customer experience. 

Note: Respondents in ASEANScan studies are aged between 18 to 49 years old. 

Measuring the Value of the Human Touch  

To get a gauge on the customer service preferences of Southeast Asians, we asked our respondents to rate some everyday customer experiences on a five-point satisfaction scale. What we found is that despite the growing presence of tech solutions at the customer service frontline, human-to-human interactions remain a cornerstone for good customer experience. 

Evidently, satisfaction is highest when a human is involved. In-person engagement with a human is best of all, but short of that then people are still satisfied with a phone call or message – so long as the agent is an actual living, breathing human and not an AI chatbot! This is perhaps a timely reminder that despite the buzz over AI, the tech still has a way to go to reach a level of maturity where it can genuinely replace human customer service agents altogether. 

Distrust in Tech? 

To take this further, we asked our respondents the simple binary question of, when given the choice, whether they prefer to interact with real-life customer service or sales agents - or avoid them. 84% of customers said they value the interaction with agents, which is a resounding affirmation for the perceived value of the human touch.  

Human to human interactions are likely to be preferred as they provide the opportunity for immediate feedback and personalised service, and many consumers find that face-to-face communication fosters trust and rapport. The nuances of human interaction—such as body language, tone of voice, and empathy—are often lost in non-human interactions.  

Human interactions instil trust, which is a fundamental component of positive customer experiences. Customers are more likely to return to a brand where they feel understood and valued. Live agents on websites or phone messaging apps can adapt their responses based on the emotional cues of customers, creating a more meaningful dialogue. This adaptability is something that automated systems currently lack. 

Consumer Preferences and Trends 

Understanding consumer preferences and behaviours is crucial for companies looking to enhance their customer experience. Though there is overwhelming support for the human touch in customer experience, our recent ASEANScan data also reveals several insights into why some consumers may prefer non-human interactions instead.  

For the 16% of Southeast Asian consumers who prefer to avoid real-life customer service interactions, the reasons provided for doing do range from a desire for independence through to perceived lack of value in the real-life interaction. 

These insights suggest that while many consumers appreciate the human touch, there are also valid reasons for preferring automated interactions. Businesses must strike a balance between offering efficient self-service options and providing opportunities for meaningful human to human interactions. 

The Future: Human + Tech = A Healthy Middle Ground? 

The effective integration of technology and human interaction is vital in the future of customer experience, and companies must view technology as an enabler rather than a replacement for human agents. This balancing act is imperative so that customers benefit from the efficiency of automation as well as the enduring value of the human touch.  

Where basic functions may be mete out by automation, human representatives can take on complex issues and perform other functions such as personalisation, thereby fostering trust and rapport. This will also tie in with evolving customer expectations, facilitating businesses who strategically leverage technology while maintaining a human touch. In doing so, businesses will be better positioned to create meaningful and lasting relationships for enhanced customer experience. 

Blackbox Research is Singapore's leading market research firm and Asia's foremost provider of decision intelligence.

For years we have provided expertise in Customer Experiences (CX). Reach out to us to find out how we can help elevate your CX today: connect@blackbox.com.sg

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