People + Technology: Why Humans Still Matter in the Age of Automation

Automation is here to stay. More and more, the day-to-day functions of the work we’ve traditionally expected people to perform are relegated to machines of all stripes. Whether that’s a scan-and-pay kiosk at the grocer’s where a cashier used to be, a robotic arm on the assembly line or an app that can take your dinner order, there’s just no escaping the age of automation. If you’re doing business anywhere in the world this year, chances are high that you rely on some kind of automation to make sure you stay that way. How do people still matter in the age of technology automation?

But what of the people that power the machines? How about the human workers these machines are supposed to be “replacing”? What about the people that use the services and products — maybe even the services and products your business provides — made possible through automation?

Make no mistake: they aren’t going anywhere either. Understanding why is crucial to doing business in an increasingly global, automated world. Humans still matter, potentially more now than ever. Here’s why.

People and Technology Go Hand in Hand

Take that food delivery app, for example. There’s a delivery runner on the other side of that app, to say nothing of the chef who cooks your food and plates it in styrofoam. Of course, there’s the salesperson who on-boarded the restaurant owner after convincing them to partner with the app, and the customer service rep ready to take your call or chat in real-time within that app if you happen to encounter a hiccup in an otherwise smoothly automated process.

At every step in this process, you’ll notice that the driving force behind the tech that just seems to magically work is a living, breathing person. From conception to completion, when you pull the curtain back, you’ll find human beings, not automatons and applications.

It’s people, not machines that still crunch the numbers, answer the support tickets, dream up the sales copy, and hire even more people to do these very tasks along the way.

These People Are Your People - More So in the Age of Automation

If you can accept that you need automation to stay in business this year, it should be obvious by now that you also need those humans. They are your customers and clients, the team that drives the work you do, and the resource that will fill the gaps in between.

In an increasingly tech-focused landscape, it’s easy to lose sight of the “why” and “how” of your business. Both roles are filled by people, not processes. You do what you do because you know that what you are capable of providing — whatever your field of expertise — because it fulfills a need. You have a solution to all manner of pain points, and it’s your customer base, not a room full of servers, that needs the solution.

The other side of the coin is how you deliver this solution. Yes, machines and automation can and will play a role in that. But as you already understand, you need people to make that machinery function. Maybe you have a robust, skilled team already, or maybe you need a way to round out the people that power your solution. But as a business owner in an age where almost anything feels possible, you know how critical a strong, consistent, and empathetic team of people is. Where will you find that team?

Outsourcing Automation With the Right Partner Provides an Elegant Solution

You may find that you need to scale quickly while controlling hiring costs. You may need to hire a customer service team you can count on to delight your customers, or find that you’re focusing on time-consuming back-office tasks while business-critical work piles up and important benchmarks roll over into the next quarter.

At Personiv, we leverage over 35 years of experience to create tailor-made outsourced solutions that allow businesses to build and maintain the offshore teams they need to adopt exciting new technologies without sacrificing precious time, resources, or human capital.

No matter where you are in the process of integrating technology automation with the people you hope to serve or hire, there are people-powered solutions that can help solidify lifelong partnerships and future-proof the business you’ve worked hard to build. Ready to learn more?