What does that mean? Keep reading and I’ll explain.
You may not know the expression High Tech means High Touch but those of us who’ve been around technology for a while (for over 30 years) know it’s true.
When ATMs or banking machines were installed in Canada between 1969 and 1972 everyone thought it would mean the demise of bank tellers but they found out the opposite. People used bank tellers even more than before these “cash machines”. This is an example of why “high tech means high touch”.
In 2012, I was at a hospital for a blood transfusion (I have a very rare blood condition and have had more than 30 transfusions since the condition was diagnosed in 1978. Don’t worry though. It’s become “normal” for me.).
At that time, they had “a great new addition” using technology or so they thought. They assumed they could give more treatments than before and so help even more patients.
Here’s what happened. There were three administrative staff at a long desktop who checked you in at their computer and gave you a pager.
When mine hadn’t buzzed for more than an hour I went back up to ask what had happened and was it normal to wait this long. She checked my name on the computer and said my “product” wasn’t ready yet. No mention of how long I’d still have to wait and no offer to “physically” check for me – just on the computer.
To make a long story short it was a volunteer who helped me out after I’d been waiting for 90 minutes and I got my transfusion. That’s an example of why “high tech means high touch”.
Why didn’t the person at the computer get up and check for me? I believe she was an admin person just doing her job. It was in her job description to only check the computer.
Do I trust computers? Yes. The person using it? It depends. Human error is the problem, isn’t it.
So is “high tech” better? Yes and no. Yes more people get their transfusions and infusions. No because only when one asks does the person at the computer check AND only on the computer.
What would you do if it was your business? I hope you said “Help the customer. Get up off the chair and check why and come back with a REAL answer.” THAT’S customer service.
Originally posted December 27, 2011