A woman orders a pair of shoes online. Two weeks later, it still hasn’t arrived. Feeling anxious, she logs onto the company’s website to ask for assistance. A chat box pops up.
“Hello, how may I help you today?”
“Hi, I bought a pair of shoes from you two weeks ago, but i have not received it. Please advise,” she types.
“Orders take 3 to 5 business days to reach our customers. Please see our FAQ for more information on shipping details,” the bot replies.
Slightly annoyed, the woman says, “I would like to speak with someone about my order.”
“Our staff are always happy to help our customers. Please see FAQ for our contact details,” replies the bot.
Frustrated, the woman closes the box and searches for information on her own, to find her missing shoes.
When it comes to customer service, the “shoes” that consumers demand of artificial intelligence (AI) might be too big for it to ever fill. A “human” touch to communicate information accurately and directly with consumers is still very much needed, whether in the retail industry or others.
AI is very useful for us. It can help us analyse data to provide evaluative insight, like how financial trading algorithms can buy or sell stocks at a pace impossible for a human broker to match. But that’s the limit of technology.
But without the ability for critical thinking, AI cannot calm angry customers down, nor can it replace our financial advisors. We need humans who can give us objective advice based on their instinct and experience. People who can give us peace of mind that our concerns are being addressed, now. People who can answer our queries with clear and concise explanations, whenever we require their help.
Similarly, financial advisors possess these soft skills which will always give them an edge over the “cold” robots. Soft skills are already important today, and will only become more essential in an AI-rampant world. Humans and people-oriented professions like financial advisors are here to stay.