In countless conversations, podcast interviews, and event sessions I’ve heard the same phrase: “Service is, and always will be, a people business.” I agree wholeheartedly, but I think it’s interesting to ponder what exactly does this mean?

This statement seems to surface among a few common themes – one is when discussing advancements in technology. Almost as a reminder of the importance of human connection and the power of our frontline workforce. Another common point in conversation where this phrase arises is in seizing the full potential of service; determining how best to honor, protect, and leverage the relationship the service provider has with customers.

When I ponder what the phrase means, there are a few things that quickly come to mind:

• The impact of people on creating brand perception and customer experience and loyalty. We know that the service workforce is often the most prominent face of the brand for customers, and that position holds a lot of power. Sure, the worker is there to “get a job done,” but in reality, when they are properly enabled and empowered, they do so much more. They build relationships that foster customer satisfaction and create goodwill for the inevitable moments that things might not go smoothly. They are the epitome of the term “trusted advisor;” a term that many can try to capitalize on and exploit, but only those really making the effort can achieve. There are aspects of the daily job that can be automated to make things easier and smoother, even certain service tasks that could be eliminated, and roles may change to where service execution becomes increasingly remote and so on. But I think, fundamentally, the humanity that exists in this relationship and the nuance to it that only people can create will remain, even if its form morphs and evolves.
• The potential of people to uncover new service opportunities and aid in business transformation. The companies who don’t recognize the wealth of knowledge that exists at the frontline to lead their business to the next phases of success are truly missing the boat. We talk about the importance of customer intimacy and the need to truly understand a customers’ business; who better to do so than the service technician? When we are able to consider how they can take part in innovation rather than being solely at the receiving end, we can unlock a new source of valuable perspective to help influence what’s valuable to customers and therefore how our service can grow and expand. We can use predictive analytics to understand trends and to infer a lot about how customers use our products and what they may find value in or need, but, again, the relationships and interactions that service is built upon are a treasure trove of perspective that can’t be found anywhere else.
• The unique way people complement digital capabilities. Data is powerful and AI is bringing to service a new wave of intelligence that holds tremendous appeal and potential, but when the phrase “service is a people business” is spoken in this context, it’s to remind us that those capabilities are most impactful when used alongside the power of people. There’s so much debate about at what point AI will replace humans, I think we remind ourselves and each other of the people nature of service to reinforce the fact that we must balance our focus on and investment in technology with our continued and amplified focus on and investment in our people. This doesn’t mean roles and duties won’t change, but we need to work to define what can and shouldn’t be automated and shape that into what the future of service will look like, and how it will remain a people business.
• The irrefutable, irreplaceable importance of human connection. In all of these ways, and more, there’s just something about human connection. This comes up at every Future of Field Service event we host; there’s nothing like coming together face-to-face to share with each other, learn from one another, and feel less alone in the world. It can be hard to articulate or summarize, but we as humans are meant to engage with one another; and while in service what that engagement looks like may take new shapes in the next era, there will always be a certain part of the experience that can only be delivered by people.

What would you add to my list? How are you thinking about ensuring we protect the power of people while working to innovate and keep pace with digital capabilities? I’d love to hear from you!