How to Stop the Erosion of Great Services? / Cameron Tonkinwise / Episode #198
This has to stop... I don't care what they say. Chatbots s*ck.
But we, as service design professionals, have the power to make things better. Sure, ChatGPT and Google Gemini are impressive tools, but a chatbot on a company's website? Probably one of the most frustrating experiences you can have these days. This trend toward replacing humans in service delivery is a growing concern. There's nothing wrong with trying to optimize processes. It becomes a problem when it's done in a mindless way to solely cut costs at the expense of the user experience. Our guest, Cameron Tonkinwise, makes a compelling case for preserving the human element in service delivery. Because removing this vital component erodes something incredibly valuable that AI (or any other tech) can't and will never be able to replicate. As you can imagine, simply pointing out the problem isn't enough. So, in our conversation, we explore how to make a strong case for human-driven services... even to the most skeptical stakeholders. Spoiler: Waiting for our clients to change their minds isn't the answer. It requires a proactive approach on our part. If you work in a product or tech-driven environment, this episode will hopefully give you the energy and ideas to challenge the relentless push for short-term optimization. The chat with Cameron reminded me that we have a responsibility to design the future we want to see rather than just being of service to others. Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact! Take care, ~ Marc
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 This is Episode 198
04:00 Who is Cameron
05:00 How he stumbled to SD
12:30 the current perspective to SD
15:00 the ideal outcome
16:45 A vastly uneducated community
24:00 Why the model isn't adopted
26:00 How to support the current economy
29:30 Hockey puck story
33:30 Thoughts in AI
39:00 What you can be offering
41:30 Expressing the need
45:00 Importance of frontline observation
50:00 One practical takeaway
52:00 Connect with Cameron
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle