What machines cannot do

This quote by Karel Čapek opens the 121 Manifesto published in 2021 by KPMG, in cooperation with other partners. The goal of the Manifesto is to remind us that even 100 years after the publication of R.U.R., humans must remain at the centre of all human activity. Technology is meant to make the world more humane, not the other way around – a sentiment that is of special importance in customer experience management. Continue reading to learn how your company or institution can apply the four Manifesto principles in practice.

• We measure everything against people.

  A human is a fundamental measuring unit of everything. Your products and services are designed for humans. Make sure you know what the biggest value is that customers see in your product or service, and don’t think about all the customers in the world when you do that; think about specific people in specific situations.

  This is my favourite place to shop. Not because of the prices, but because of the Scan&Go feature that I find very convenient for shoppers with prams like myself, as I don’t have to push the pram in front of me and drag a shopping cart behind me.
  Woman, 25, Globus

  Don’t forget about the people who will feel the impact of your product or service in ten, or even in a hundred years from now. Think about the environment.

  They have a great selection and I love that their brands are high-quality, affordable and eco-conscious. There is also a great selection for children and discounts for club members.
  Woman, 39, dm

• Let us take human nature into account.

  Every person is unique, which is what separates us from machines. To recognize this multiformity, you need to admit to yourself that you don’t know everything. Dialogue is key to understanding your customers; so ask questions, run tests, and verify everything.

  I bought a smoothie there. The staff were friendly, nice, and quick. I wanted to remove an ingredient from my order, and it was no problem at all, the staff even helped me find a better alternative.
  Man, 25, Fruitisimo

  We used Invia’s services to look for a nice holiday. The lady who attended to us helped us find the perfect vacation matching our requirements and even helped us find answers to our questions related to the current situation with the pandemic.
  Woman, 29, Invia.cz

• Let us develop what machines cannot.

  Technology can help but it doesn’t have a soul or emotional memory. Let‘s not neglect things that make us humans strong and unique. The goal is not to rid ourselves of expensive human workforce completely, but instead to reach the state where monotonous, difficult to compute, and otherwise toilsome tasks are performed by machines, allowing human workers to focus on human interaction and building meaningful customer relationships.

  They were really forthcoming about our advance payments when we had to close our bar due to covid-19. It helped us a lot, and their online staff were very helpful and friendly, which is nice when you are dealing with a crisis.
  Woman, 47, ČEZ

  I was dealing with a claim related to a live betting slip. Their automated system forwarded my case to a live specialist. The response time was short, and my issues were sorted out quickly.
  Man, 50, Sazka

• Technology is a means, not an end.

  We don’t stop at the HOW, we also ask WHY. Digitalization must not be an end in itself. First and foremost, it must be beneficial for people. Don’t digitalize just because it’s “cool”, because “the competition has already done it” or because “you don’t want to fall behind the times”.

  There is always a podcast that’s right up my alley.
  Man, 32, Spotify

  I’ve been with Air Bank for several years now. I like the fact that I can control everything from home with their online banking, so I don’t need to visit their offices at all.
  Man, 33, Air Bank

How to use digital technology to strengthen the pillars of customer experience

1. Personalization

   Individual approach is key, helping customers form an emotional attachment to your brand. When we say personalization, we are talking about tailored products, smart autocomplete features implemented in the product portfolio, or smart CRM systems that can recognize individual customers and speed up the service.

   I used their website to look for accommodation for my vacation in Czechia and I was able to find the option that suited me best. I like how many parameters and filters there are to choose from – it really helps you find exactly what you’re looking for.
   Woman, 35 , Booking.com

   Spotify lets you access millions of songs at a very good price. Automatic playlists do a good job of matching the listener’s taste.
   Man, 19 , Spotify

   Our entire family uses the service almost daily. I really like the option to create multiple profiles (one for me, one for my wife, and one for the kids).
   Man, 32 , Netflix

2. Time and effort

   The key point of this pillar is to minimize the effort on the customer’s part and implement streamlined processes. More and more customers expect to be able to set up a service or order products without having to go anywhere in person or having to fill out paper forms. Optimization or biometric client verification are great ways to streamline and simplify your processes.

   Home purchase savings account was quick and easy to set up, all online without the need to travel to an office.
   Woman, 26 , Stavební spořitelna České spořitelny

   They have an app where you can enter your parcel number, parcel parameters, personal information, and pay for the parcel. Then you just enter the parcel number at the drop off point and that’s it, everything’s sorted.
   Woman, 24 , Zásilkovna

   I needed to pay my phone bill and I was able to do it using their app without any trouble at all.
   Woman, 60, Vodafone

3. Expectations

   Brands should not merely meet customers’ expectations; they must actively manage them to prevent disappointment. In the best-case scenario, customer’s expectations are exceeded. Keep your customers informed about their order status, manage queues, and collect feedback.

   I used Wolt food delivery several times. Their website is easy to navigate, placing and paying for an order is easy, and they keep me posted on the order status and expected delivery time.
   Man, 30 , Wolt

   I genuinely love that this company exists. Their prices are lower compared to other parcel delivery services, they have an app that allows me to track my parcels and delivery times and I can pick up my parcels at a time and place that are convenient for me.
   Woman, 40 , Zásilkovna

4. Integrity

   Brands earn customers’ trust through trustworthy actions. In the online world, that means preventing online attacks and cybercrimes, being transparent with information, and acting with integrity. For instance, banks can earn customers’ trust by implementing safe and functioning bank identity services that their customers will then happily use for online dealings with government authorities as well.

   I used the bank identity to provide my information to a third party without having to visit their office. Amazing, simple to use feature.
   Man, 60 , Bankovní identita

   I use this online store to shop for clothes. All my orders have always been delivered on time and with no issues. If something doesn’t fit or suit me, I can return the goods and so far, I have always received my refund quickly.
   Woman, 75 let, About You

   It’s easy to communicate with them online. Everything is done quickly, properly, in accordance with the standards that I expect from a bank.
   Man, 48 let, Stavební spořitelna České spořitelny

5. Resolution

   Every problem is also an opportunity to improve the company’s image because it gives you a chance to transform a negative experience into a positive one. Online channels, timely notifications and smart background problem prediction systems are all your friends here, allowing for a quick response.

   We had to reschedule a week-long vacation as a consequence of the covid pandemic, and we also needed to use vouchers to purchase additional services. The company’s service was top notch and very professional, everything was resolved online and to our complete satisfaction.
   Man, 55 , EXIM tours

   I wanted to use their free three-month trial, but they had some technical issues – it was impossible to verify the card and then suddenly the system told me that I had already used the trial. I reached out to their support by e-mail and it worked like clockwork – everything was sorted out within just a few hours.
   Man, 31 , Spotify

   I placed an order for some books through their website and had them delivered to one of their shops for pickup free of charge. Unfortunately one book had sold out in the meantime, but the company called me to let me know and promptly refunded that book. Everything is simple and easy to navigate.
   Woman, 31 , Luxor

6. Empathy

   Empathy is the ability to understand the customer’s needs, to put yourself in their shoes, thus building a deeper connection. And it can be utilized in the online world as well. Put some thought into choosing the right communication channels, design tools that match your target audience’s preferences, and be open and accommodating when you introduce your clients to the digital world.

   Loyalty card application: An employee escorted me to a terminal and helped me apply for and activate a loyalty card step by step. He was very kind, helpful, and patient.
   Woman, 67 , Kaufland

   This one time I had some problems with cell reception and the courier couldn’t reach me by phone, but fortunately I was later able to sort everything out with a phone call, with the help of one of their support team members. I even received a coupon for CZK 200 afterwards.
   Woman, 25 , DámeJídlo.cz

   I use HBO GO to watch movies and TV shows and their support team is great. Whenever a problem with the payment or playback quality arises, all I have to do is e-mail them.
   Man, 20 , HBO GO