I remember when my oldest daughter was two. Like many kids her age, she desired to do things herself. It didn’t matter if it took her longer to do it. As she grew older, it meant I waited patiently (at least that was the goal) to get her shoes on, pick out clothes or complete a project. She wanted to be independent and take care of herself, even though her mom and I would have gladly provided her rapid service – with a smile.
Today, the millennial generation that she’s a part of is fueling a surge in self-service options that are appealing to all ages. Some of them are fairly futuristic, as I will share in this blog. I now can book a flight, hotel and car for a trip and even check-in for my flight and into my hotel without ever talking to a human being.
I appreciate the value that technology brings both the customer and the organization. Still, the self-service concept sometimes jolts me. What about the personal touch? You know, that smile. Emoticons just aren’t the same.
For many consumers, customer satisfaction rises when the task feels convenient and easy. Eliminating the time spent in a line can trump even the brightest customer service smile.
Here are two ways that organizations are taking the self-service concept to the next level:
CHECKING OUT WITHOUT CHECKING OUT
The growing self-service trend already has given way to self-checkout, self-ticketing and a host of online shopping applications. Now, Amazon is changing our way of thinking with a new grocery store where customers walk in, pick up food from the shelves and walk out without ever stopping at a cash register or swiping a credit card.
This advanced technology from Amazon tracks when the customer picks up – and puts items back. When they leave the store, they are automatically charged for only the items in their bag with artificial intelligence sensors. The technology is similar to what’s being used for self-driving cars. This grab-and-go service is called Amazon Go. Amazon started testing the “Just Walk Out Technology” in a grocery store in downtown Seattle at the end of 2016.
This technology could have significant implications in how we purchase items – in the near term. Amazon is in the business of revolutionizing how we buy goods. Don’t underestimate the impact of this technology and how you could leverage it in your organization.
VENDING MACHINES DISPENSE THE UNEXPECTED
From food and beverages to acne medication and high-end headphones, vending machines have long brought goods. What else could we possibly buy from a vending machine? How about a dispensed car? That is exactly what one online car retailer is doing. Carvana debuted the first-of-its-kind vending machine in Nashville, Tennessee before bringing it to Texas late last year.
The Phoenix-based company provided 360-degree photo technology on its website to allow buyers to search and buy a pre-owned vehicle. Buyers can either have the vehicle delivered to their door or receive a special coin for the vending machine to dispense the vehicle that they purchased. What could you dispense in a vending machine? Carvana expands what we once thought was impossible.
TAKING ACTION
This is the year that every organization should consider how to apply the self-service concept. It drives cost out of the model and gives a growing group of customers what they want. What futuristic self-service technology will you employ?
Learn more about the top trends that will impact business in 2017.
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