The Human Side Of Business (Why It's Important & How To Encourage It)
It's easy for businesspeople to get lost among the numbers and statistics. Then there is the increasing use of automation that is beginning to remove the human touch altogether.
Yet, the bare truth of it is that people buy from people, and it's this connection that fosters trust and secures sales. That is why the human side of business is so important. The good news is you can read on to find out how to encourage it in your business and reap the associated rewards
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People buy from other people
It's long been known that human-focused details and authentic emotional connections are beneficial for business because they encourage the trust needed to achieve sales. What that means is there needs to be a human behind the sale to offer empathy, to listen, and to truly understand the customer's problem. Even if it is more of an emotional one than it is a practical one.
The value of human-centred business
While it may seem as if everything is automated these days, businesses actually spend a great deal of money and effort to make even their automated responses feel as human as possible. This is not a mistake, because people inherently trust other humans far more than they do automated or robotic responses.
Indeed, to activate the trust needed for sales and the loyalty required for repeat business, customers need to have genuine human interactions. This is where the value of human-centred business comes in.
In fact, this human element is a vital aspect of so many businesses, making them more successful and effective than they would be without it. For example, as a financial expert, Alex Kleyner states, an empathetic approach, only available with the human touch, can transform the debt relief industry, making it not only more compassionate for those who go through it, but also more effective as well.
Similarly, the human element is vitally important in the hospital;ity industry. This is because by identifying and remembering the preferences of their guests, hotels can make them feel more valued and cared for. Something that in turn can lead to repeat bookings and good personal recommendations.
How to put the human back into business
The good news is that there are several ways that you can put the human back into business. The first is to do all you can to embrace honest and transparent communication. People would always rather go to another real person, as this ensures they feel truly listened to.
Next, be sure to design customer experiences around real people’s needs, wants, and concerns. Yes, having an ideal customer template is good, but it needs to be based on research taken from real people; otherwise, it won’t improve their experience with your business.
Lastly, don’t forget that branding should be personalised to the individual wherever possible. This can mean something as simple as adding their name to a leaflet, flyer or email, or something as sophisticated as using targeted marketing to show them items you know they will have a genuine interest in buying.
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