Companies talk a lot about customer experience, but too often decisions in the customer interface are driven primarily by cost-efficiency. One clear example is phone service. Many organizations have shifted resources to online self-service channels, but in doing so they risk neglecting the channel that is most natural for people: speaking.
The Illusion of the “Finnish Island” Is Breaking
For a long time, Finnish companies have been able to think of themselves as being on a safe island: competition is limited, and customers will stay even if service channels are cut back. But this illusion is rapidly breaking down.
With the development of AI, international players can now offer increasingly cost-efficient, faster, and more personalized customer service – even in Finnish. Competition no longer respects borders. If a Finnish company doesn’t listen to its customer in their natural channel, someone else will – and they’ll do it more effectively.
AI Is Also an Opportunity for Finnish Companies
It’s important to recognize that AI is not just a threat from abroad – it’s also a huge opportunity for Finnish companies. With intelligent phone bots, service can be provided cost-efficiently in multiple languages, around the clock. This opens the door to international markets without the need for major investments in expanding customer service.
A company that today listens to its customer on the phone in Finnish can, tomorrow, serve customers in Swedish, English, or even German – using the same technology – and reach new audiences abroad in a cost-effective way.
The Phone Is Still People’s Primary Way to Communicate
People are naturally used to solving issues by talking. When a customer picks up the phone, they want to be heard and understood. If this possibility is removed for cost reasons, the message is clear: their voice is not valued. This doesn’t just lower satisfaction – it can also cause customers to walk away, and increasingly to an international competitor.
Cost-Efficiency Shouldn’t Mean Compromising Customer Experience
From management’s perspective, phone service is an expensive channel. Customer are expecting instant service real time, so staffing, handling wait times, and fluctuating demand all add up. For this reason, many companies try to steer customers toward digital channels. But here lies a dangerous misconception: shutting down the phone line also shuts down one of the most important doors to the customer’s voice.
The solution is not to eliminate phone service, but to modernize it. On the phone, the customer’s counterpart can be an intelligent bot that understands speech and can hold a natural conversation. This way, companies can provide service cost-efficiently – on par with international competitors – while customers still enjoy the familiar and easy experience of getting things done by talking.
A Bot as a Conversation Partner – Not Just a Form
Traditional self-service tools, such as forms or web-based chatbots, often feel cold and rigid. Voice, on the other hand, brings warmth and human touch to service. A modern phone bot is not just a “form in another format,” but a conversational partner that can quickly and flexibly meet the customer’s needs. Customers get service in their preferred channel – the phone – while companies benefit from automation.
Voice Is the Customer’s Voice
Companies that truly listen to their customers in their natural channel create a competitive advantage. Through voice, emotions, nuances, and genuine interaction come across in ways no other channel can replicate. Allowing customers to pick up the phone and have a conversation – whether with a human or with a smart bot – shows respect and builds trust.
