Another attention grabbing headline, this time from my friends at Time Magazine, and their March 24th issue titled 10 Ideas that are changing the world. 

The author of the article states companies love self-service for the money it saves, and with consumers finally playing along, the need to interact with human beings is quickly disappearing.

I’m pretty sure this same author said the increased use of computers would move us to a paperless society and free up much needed time for people to enjoy the arts and leisure time.

I think she also predicted flying cars like in the Jetsons, and that we would all be cooking by talking into a machine like they do on Star Trek.

C’mon, get real.  The reason companies are trying to go to a more self-service environment is twofold;  one, it saves a boat-load of cash.  Second, most companies do a lousy job in after sales care and support, what customer service is all about.  It’s got nothing to do with a customer’s desire to bag their own groceries or go through voice-mail hell to figure out if a payment was received by a creditor.

Customer service is critical to the loyalty and retention of customers.  Pick an industry, any industry. 

• Would you go back to eat at a restaurant with ok food, but lousy service?
• Would you keep your money in a bank that doesn’t seem to care about you as a customer?
• Would you recommend a company to a business colleague that didn’t provide you adequate follow-up services to questions or problems?

The answers are easy… of course you wouldn’t. 

Now some self-service activities are the way to go.  On-line banking.  Getting your airline boarding pass on-line or at the self-service kiosk at the airport.  Checking via telephone IVR (interactive voice response) to see if your package was delivered on time or if your tax return is being processed.

Sorry Time.  This isn’t customer service.  According to Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary, customer service is defined as assistance and other resources that a company provides to the people who buy or use its products or services.  Self-serve is OK with some limited aspects of the customer-company relationship, but they in no way take the place of human interactions.

In today’s economy where almost everything is a commodity, or will soon be one, your employees can be the best competitive advantage you have, and in a lot of cases, the only one. 

One more time now.  Your customers buy products and services from your company but form relationships with your people.  Is it the end of customer service?

“Time will tell”, but Time Magazine told you wrong.  It isn’t the end of customer service.  It will be your end if you don’t pay attention to it… literally and figuratively.