Almost Half of Customer Service Reps Think Tech Will Replace Them. Here’s Why

Customer service leaders continue to note the many cost benefits of rep enablement technology, especially as they continue to navigate trying economic times. However, what they may be overlooking is the cost of talent attrition as workers fear being permanently replaced by these technology projects.

With median rep attrition at 25 percent, identifying and addressing factors that drive reps to leave is a challenge many customer service and support leaders face.

A recent Gartner survey of customer service reps found that nearly 40 percent of reps agree with the statement, “I worry that advances in technology may eliminate my job.” The same survey also found that reps who are very worried about being replaced by technology are 84 percent more likely to be actively looking for a new job than those who aren’t worried.

Interestingly, the fear of being replaced is not related to the number of rep enablement capabilities a rep interacts with in their job.

Simply put, increasing the amount of technology a rep interacts with does not necessarily increase a rep’s fear of being automated out of their work. So here are two questions that must be addressed by customer service leaders: (1) what specific technology can be attributed to reps’ fear of being replaced, and (2) what are some of the preventive measures that customer service and support leaders can take to reduce these fears.

Allow Reps to Use Their Own Judgment

There are several tech capabilities that increase reps’ fears of being automated out of a job. While each capability is distinct, all have one thing in common: They heavily reduce or eliminate the need for reps to exercise their own judgment. These include:

External information. The systems that reps use provide them with external information—such as credit checks, weather conditions, product recalls or system outages—that may impact the customer. This increased the feelings of replaceability of reps by 8 percent.

Competitive offers. The systems that reps use tell them about offers or deals that the customer may have from competitors. This increased the feelings of replaceability of reps by 8 percent.

Related issues. After the original issue is resolved, the systems that reps use provide them with suggestions about related issues the customer may have. This increased the feelings of replaceability of reps by 8 percent.

Product positioning. The systems that reps use tell them how to position the value of the products or services against the competition. This increased the feelings of replaceability of reps by 9 percent.

Customer sentiment analysis. The systems that reps use tell them how the customer feels (e.g., frustrated or happy). This increased the feelings of replaceability of reps by 11 percent.

Imagine a rep handling a customer issue with their new cell phone. Without rep enablement technology, the rep would need to have deep knowledge of the product and how it stacks up against the competition.

But with rep enablement technology the system can automatically tell the rep about common issues with the phone, and how to demonstrate the advantages this phone has compared to others. It makes that rep’s institutional knowledge and experience less necessary for assisting the customer.

While this might be good for the organization because it reduces reliance on skills that are hard to hire for or develop, it can be scary for a rep.

In short, technological capabilities that reduce a rep’s need to make decisions can provide value to leaders as they guide reps to more efficient and effective issue resolution. But they also may worsen attrition if leaders do not take preventive steps.

Preventive Measures Customer Service Leaders Can Take to Reduce These Fears

There are several steps customer service leaders can take to help ease fears of reps:

Give reps options. Ensure that technologies supplement, rather than replace, reps’ judgment and autonomy. Provide reps with options that they may choose from, instead of mandating that they follow a specific script or use a specific piece of information. Using technology to broaden the talent pool can actually be harmful if that same technology is leading employees to look for work elsewhere.

Position technology as a thought partner. In addition to preserving rep judgment by providing reps with options, communicate that technology can represent a thought partner rather than a thought replacement. Just as reps can turn to trusted peers for advice on how to position a product or how to anticipate related issues a customer may have, so too can they rely on technology for assistance and inspiration.

Maintain a two-way dialogue with reps about how technology is changing the role. Listening to reps about the impact technology has on their role is just as important as communicating to them the benefits of technological advances. Once these areas are identified, reps can be upskilled in them.

If customer service leaders follow these steps and are cognizant of the technology they are implementing, they should be able to avoid exacerbating attrition problems, provide continuity to their function, and also provide reps with the tools needed to do their job.

Melissa Fletcher is a senior principal, research, in the Gartner Customer Service and Support practice.