“I just want a human sometimes.” Trend 3: Why human touchpoints still matter
By Rebecca Cook
Customers are not standing still.
In this three-part series, we explore three emerging trends that are changing the relationship between customers and brands.
Here is the third.
Click the link below to read the first two blogs in the series:
“I just want a human sometimes.”
This is a comment we're hearing increasingly often in our Customer Closeness sessions for clients such as NatWest, OVO and Aviva.
It isn't a rejection of technology. Most customers appreciate the convenience of apps, chatbots and online journeys. They are booking appointments online, managing accounts through apps and using self-service tools every day. The challenge is emerging when customers reach a moment that feels important, confusing or emotionally charged and discover there is no human available to help.
Whether they're managing their finances, navigating healthcare, resolving a problem or making a significant purchase, customers are telling us that reassurance, confidence and trust often come from human interaction. This is especially important for customers with vulnerabilities or accessibility needs.
The drive towards digital-first service continues to accelerate. Brands are investing heavily in automation, AI and self-service experiences that are faster, cheaper and available around the clock. But alongside this shift, we are also seeing growing concern about what is being lost when human contact disappears entirely.
What strikes us is that customers aren't necessarily asking for more human interaction. They're asking for the option of human interaction, when it matters.
The opportunity for brands
The strongest brands aren't choosing between digital and human experiences. They're designing both. Routine tasks should be fast, frictionless and self-service. Few customers want to wait on the phone to check a balance, reset a password or make a simple booking. But brands also need to identify the moments where confidence matters more than convenience.
· Where is the customer feeling vulnerable?
· Where are the stakes becoming higher?
· Where might reassurance be just as important as resolution?
These are the moments where human touchpoints can bring significant value.
Design for reassurance, not just efficiency: Looking only at speed and cost can overlook what customers need in critical moments. Consider where anxiety, uncertainty or vulnerability are entering the journey.
Make human support visible: Customers are often feeling reassured simply by knowing a person is available if needed, even if they never use that option.
Use technology to enhance people, not replace them: The best experiences are combining efficient digital tools with timely human support where it matters most.
Because sometimes the most valuable thing a brand can offer isn't another feature, channel or piece of technology. It's a human being.
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