Customer communication: balancing the human with digital-first

They want faster, more personalised digital experiences from a brand, without their privacy being invaded or compromised. At the same time, they want a face-to-face or human experience with a company when it suits them. This requires businesses and chief marketing officers (CMOs) to engage in a difficult and fast-changing balancing act. Technology such as chatbots that answer a customer's basic queries, machine-learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are making it easier to serve consumers and, in many cases, to give them a better customer experience. But brands must also be careful not to force the pace of automation or to focus too much on potential cost-savings because they run the risk of alienating new and existing customers who want or value a human experience.