How many times have you placed a call to a credit card company, insurance company, or other business and are instructed to press 2, and then 4, and then 7 when all you want to do is speak with a live person? Twenty minutes later you’re still on hold and your blood pressure is so high you could have a stroke.

This is what many of us experience when we just want to conduct a simple transaction like making a payment or filing a claim. In today’s world of high-tech gadgets and digital media, we often forget the value of the human touch. It’s not just important in personal relationships; it also matters in our work life and in the business transactions we conduct. For businesses, having a live person answering a call can mean the difference between repeat customers and lost business. Building rapport with clients and showing empathy during stressful situations is a great way to turn a mediocre customer service experience into a fantastic one. It’s important to customers to hear that voice on the other end of the line and know that they want to help in whatever way possible. A smile can be heard through the phone and always helps put people at ease.

Companies that enlist a team of highly qualified customer service representatives will most likely retain their clients for many years and that loyalty is what makes a company great. At the end of the day, just as money cannot buy happiness, there isn’t an app or digital voice that can provide that human touch. If you are a business owner, consider your customer service. What kind of experience do your customers have when they contact you?