Why We Teach Customers to Use Technology
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is this:
"If we teach our customers to use technology, they won't need us anymore."
I couldn't disagree more.
In fact...
I think the opposite is true.
Teaching customers to use technology doesn't replace relationships.
It strengthens them.
And if we don't start looking at technology differently, we'll continue spending our days doing work that customers could easily do themselves—leaving us with less time to do the work that actually requires us.
Technology Doesn’t Replace Service
Let's start here.
I am not suggesting we stop answering the phone.
I'm not suggesting we stop helping people.
And I'm certainly not suggesting we hide behind an app.
People still want people.
Especially during life's biggest moments.
A death.
A major claim.
A new teen driver.
A business owner trying to protect everything they've built.
Technology will never replace those conversations.
Nor should it.
But technology can absolutely improve everything around those conversations.
We Have to Stop Equating Convenience with Poor Service
Somewhere along the way, many of us started believing that encouraging customers to use technology meant we were providing less service.
I don't see it that way.
I see it as providing better service.
Think about your own life.
When you need your boarding pass...
Do you want to wait on hold?
Or pull it up on your phone?
When you need to deposit a check...
Do you drive to the bank?
Or use your banking app?
When you need directions...
Do you call someone?
Or open your GPS?
Convenience isn't poor service.
It's good service.
Insurance shouldn't be any different.
The Goal Isn’t Fewer Conversations
The goal isn't to eliminate customer interaction.
The goal is to eliminate unnecessary interaction.
There's a big difference.
If a customer wants to download an ID card at 10:00 at night...
Why should they have to wait until we open tomorrow?
If they want to check a payment...
Why should they have to call us?
If they want to see the status of a claim...
Why should they have to wonder what happened?
Those answers should already be in their hands.
That's not replacing us.
That's serving them.
We Create Better Customer Experiences
One of the biggest reasons I encourage agencies to teach customers how to use the app is simple:
It creates confidence.
Customers know where to go.
They know what to expect.
They know how to help themselves when it's convenient.
And when something bigger happens...
They know exactly who to call.
We're still their trusted advisor.
We've simply removed unnecessary friction.
Technology Creates Capacity
Here's the part many agencies miss.
Every time we teach a customer to confidently handle a simple transaction, we create capacity.
Capacity for our team.
Capacity for our customers.
Capacity for ourselves.
Instead of spending five minutes helping someone find an ID card...
We can spend that time helping another customer understand their coverages.
Instead of answering repetitive billing questions...
We can spend time reviewing policies.
Building relationships.
Protecting families.
Helping business owners.
Technology doesn't eliminate work.
It helps us spend our time on higher-value work.
The Best Customer Experience Combines Technology and People
I don't believe technology wins.
And I don't believe people win.
I believe the combination wins.
Technology should handle the predictable.
People should handle the personal.
Technology gives customers immediate access.
People provide empathy.
Technology creates convenience.
People build trust.
Technology creates speed.
People create relationships. That's the balance we're after.
We Have to Teach It
Here's something I've noticed.
Most customers don't naturally know how to use the tools available to them.
If we don't teach them...
Someone else won't either.
The best time to introduce technology isn't after a claim.
It isn't when they're frustrated.
It isn't during an emergency.
It's during Onboarding.
Show them the app.
Help them download it.
Walk them through where to find their ID cards.
Show them how to make a payment.
Explain how to file a claim.
Teach them where to find claim updates.
Those few extra minutes can save hours later.
More importantly...
They create confidence before it's needed.
We Stay in Their Pocket
One of my favorite ways to think about this is simple.
When customers have the app...
Your agency goes with them.
You're in their pocket.
Whether they're buying a car.
Standing on the side of the road.
Traveling across the country.
Or dealing with a claim.
They have immediate access to the information they need.
And when they need advice instead of information...
They know exactly who to call.
That's powerful.
The Why Behind the What
So why do I spend so much time talking about teaching customers to use technology?
Because it isn't about replacing people.
It's about creating better experiences.
It's about reducing frustration.
It's about giving customers confidence.
It's about creating capacity for your team.
It's about making sure you're available when your customers need you, not just your office hours.
The goal has never been to push customers toward technology.
The goal has always been to use technology to strengthen the relationship.
Because the best agencies don't choose between people and technology.
They use both.
Intentionally.
That's the why behind the what.