322: Rise of the Service Machines

Adam and Jeannie discuss facts and insights around emerging customer service tech in the retail and foodservice industries. The service machines are coming to get us! They really are! But maybe it’s not such a bad thing if those machines coming to get us really, well, “get us.” Jeannie and Adam have recently found facts and evidence that new service tech is about to take us by storm. In fact, devices like self-service touchscreen ordering kiosks are popping up all over the place, and that’s just the beginning.   “We’re creating our own disruption…” -Adam Toporek Brands like McDonald’s and Wendy’s are making huge investments in this kind of tech, along with many others. As a result, many worries are coming to the surface. For example, a large portion of the American workforce is worried big companies will eliminate their jobs. Then smaller brands are worried they won’t be able to keep up with the latest technology or rising labor costs. In addition, consumers are worried the less tech-savvy among them will slow the lines down. The list of concerns goes on and on… But don’t panic! Adam and Jeannie see lots of good things coming from this service revolution, and many of them are centered around delivering a better customer experience. For example, Jeannie is among those who felt more confident placing and reviewing her own order at a McDonald’s. Moreover, real-life human interaction was not eliminated, but redirected towards being more attentive to guests. (We’d call that a win, wouldn’t you?) “Automation isn’t something to be afraid of...” -Jeannie Walters So what will happen when this tech not only becomes common in your industry, but expected by your customers? Will the workforce shrink, or will it simply be redirected? And what if your small business can’t invest in this technology? Will you be able to compete? We cover these questions and more in this episode, and the answers may surprise you! In fact, this revolution can mean good things for all of us if we look ahead and make the right choices. So here’s a good choice to get you started: Listen to this episode today! Related Content 360Connext® post, Is Your Customer Experience Technology Helpful or Creepy? Customers That Stick® post, 5 Millennial Traits to Improve Customer Service Episode 316: Can Toys R Us Survive? Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts Sponsor message Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices