At the recent Contact Centre Symposium held at Southern Sun Hotel, our Executive Director, Lukonga Lindunda, delivered a powerful message: the future of customer experience isn’t about choosing between human or digital—it’s about blending both.

In his session titled “Blending Human Touch with Digital Efficiency,” Lukonga shared how organisations can deliver faster service without sacrificing the personal connection that customers truly value. As he put it, “Technology should enhance humanity, not replace it.”

He highlighted practical examples—chatbots answering FAQs, automated systems resetting passwords, and AI tools analysing customer sentiment in real time. While these tools are efficient and scalable, they can’t match the emotional intelligence of a human being, especially when customers are frustrated or confused.

Lukonga advocated for a smart balance: let automation handle the repetitive tasks, and reserve human support for moments that require empathy, clarity, and trust. He also shared strategies like using AI to detect frustration and automatically route a customer to a live agent, or empowering agents with real-time data to personalise support.

Importantly, he emphasised that the best contact centres aren’t just digital—they’re emotionally intelligent. “The best contact centres are data-driven, but people-powered,” he reminded the audience.

The key takeaway? Speed and empathy aren’t opposites. With the right blend of technology and human touch, we can deliver meaningful, trust-building experiences that keep customers coming back.

In Lukonga’s words: “Let technology handle the ‘how fast,’ and let humans lead the ‘how it feels.’ That’s where the magic happens.”