There’s an app for that…

Alexa, A.I., and automated-everything. What does a less human workforce look like?

OK she can may be able to tell you the weather in any city in the world and explain to you what the heck an NFT is, but can Alexa close a huge prospective sales lead or respond to customer product questions? Maybe! Well, maybe not Alexa specifically but it’s possible you may be considering one of her AI (artificial intelligence) cronies as your next new hire.

Automation is nothing new – it’s what spurred the Industrial Revolution and how we continue to get to the next big thing. Remember the days of hand-scrubbing laundry before washing machines? Of course not but the memory of re-typing a lengthy Wi-Fi password on a rebooted device may still send a shiver down your spine! Automation is the human response to a hassle or even a slight inconvenience, depending on who has the budget. But does automation always mean increased efficiency? Or even a better experience?

If you’re thinking of optimizing your business processes via some sort of automation or AI, you’re likely being wooed by thoughts of lower overhead costs, quicker turnaround times, and just less headaches overall. And if you’re in the business of making widgets, the move to AI-powered widget-makers may be a sound strategy. But, if your business involves providing a good or service to a human end user, not all mechanized automation that glitters is gold.

As a consumer, would you notice if your toothpaste cap was screwed on by a human hand or a robot arm? Likely not. But any customer who has repeatedly smashed the 0 button and tensely uttered “REPRESENTATIVE” into their phone receiver will tell you not all automated processes are better (or more efficient) experiences. Sure, it’s nice to be able to turn the heat up at home from my phone as I leave the grocery store, but the appeal and effectiveness of automation has its limits. Anecdotally, I can tell you that the 17-year-old part-time grocery stocker is more adept at adequately identifying and reacting to a spill in aisle 2 than the wheeled robot with the friendly painted face will ever be.

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HR in the age of COVID-19 and the Great Resignation