When working with customers around Asia, I’ve noticed that most businesses have a real desire to adopt the latest digital solutions. They want to grow fast, and they appreciate how the efficiency and scalability of automated, self-service SaaS platforms can help them do so. But at the same time, they tend to not feel comfortable adopting these solutions unless they have someone to take them through the implementation process, one step at a time – which can result in longer deployment times and slower ROI than the solution might otherwise provide. That prompts the question: can reliance on that high-touch customer service slow down growth?

It is no secret that customer service is king in Asia: 3 in 4 consumers in the region think it should be every company’s top priority, an expectation they usually bring to their roles as businesspeople as well. Mostly, good customer service is synonymous with a high-touch experience: having a dedicated rep guiding you through the decision-making and purchasing process from start to finish. However, the two are not always one and the same. In fact, a more self-service and even automated approach to customer care may deliver the best experience for both businesses and employees alike.