Between empathy and efficiency: when AI, when human in customer service?

How can excellent customer service be achieved at a time when efficiency is as crucial as genuine human contact? Almost all service organisations are facing this question today - and it is becoming increasingly urgent. In this article, Sabine Sillis, Head of Omnichannel Customer Care at Fressnapf Tiernahrungs GmbH, sheds light on how companies can optimally combine the strengths of artificial intelligence and human service to create customer experiences that are fast, precise and empathetic at the same time.

Because one thing is clear: automation takes the pressure off teams, rising expectations demand personalised support - and the right mix determines whether service processes work or inspire. In this article, our company shows how organisations find the balance between empathy and efficiency and what role AI and employees will really play in the future.

Customer service is facing a turning point. Technology has never been so powerful - and human proximity has never been in such demand. Between chatbots, voicebots and generative AI technology, companies are looking for the answer to a central question:

When is artificial intelligence the best choice - and when do we need humans?

The balancing act between empathy and efficiency determines whether service experiences merely work or really touch - and inspire customers.

Two customer experiences illustrate what this is all about:
A chatbot responds in seconds, recognises the issue and provides precise answers.
Another time, a service employee listens patiently, understands the context, shows goodwill - and gains trust.

Both solve the problem. But only one of these experiences remains positive in the memory.

This juxtaposition is not a plea against technology, but a plea for balance. Efficiency and empathy are not opposites - they complement each other. The question is therefore not: "AI or human?", but rather: How do the two work together optimally?

Increasing contact volumes, a shortage of skilled staff and the expectation of 24/7 availability are pushing service organisations to their limits.
At the same time, customers are more demanding than ever before: they expect immediate, personal and consistent responses - regardless of the channel.

No company can fulfil these requirements purely manually. AI is therefore no longer an option, but an economic necessity.
But with every new automation, the desire for human proximity also grows.

Those who master this balance win - in terms of efficiency and loyalty.

AI is in its element when it comes to routine, structure and data processing.
It recognises patterns, provides facts and relieves people of monotonous tasks. Examples:

• Chatbots and voicebots handle standard enquiries around the clock.
• Knowledge databases and agent-assist tools speed up processing.
• Automated processes reduce errors and waiting times.

The result: faster response times, lower costs and consistent quality - a basis that no modern service would want to do without.

AIis the ideal partner for the "what" - the "how" remains human.

As impressive as AI systems are, they have blind spots.
They understand rules, but not nuances. They can simulate empathy, but not feel it - for example, when it comes to emotional issues. And they know a lot, but not when goodwill is wiser than correctness.

Where emotion, trust and situational decision-making are required, humans are needed - precisely because AI is not (yet) 100% reliable as a source of information.
Empathy is created through dialogue, not data sets.
Humans are not an "emergency plan" for failed bots - they are the emotional anchor in digital customer service.

The future belongs to hybrid models. Their principle: Routine for the machine. Relationship for people.

AI provides relief, structure and knowledge - employees can concentrate on what really matters: listening, understanding and building trust.
Humans and machines mesh like two cogwheels. If one turns too quickly or one stops, the system loses power.

Only the smooth interaction between humans and AI creates service quality that is both efficient and human.

Several companies show how this collaboration is already working:

• Hermes: The chatbot "Bo" solves 60% of all standard enquiries - complex cases are handled by employees.
• Geberit: 47% of processes are automated, escalation rules ensure the transition to humans.
• Velux: Combination of instant bot and live chat - customers decide for themselves when they want to be supported digitally or in person.

The result: greater efficiency, more satisfaction and measurable ROI.
Hybrid models are economically and emotionally convincing.

For this interaction to succeed, companies must fulfil four prerequisites:

1. Clear allocation of roles: Who takes over and when - machine or human?
2. Technical integration: Seamless data transfer without media disruptions.
3. Empowerment of employees: AI expertise and empathy training are equally important.
4. Transparent communication: Customers should know who they are talking to - bot or human.

Supplemented by continuous feedback and improvements, AI becomes a trustworthy service partner.

Current studies show measurable results:

• -30 % operating costs through automation (Desk365, 2025)
• -27% processing time through agent-assist tools (Master of Code, 2025)
• 3.5x-8x ROI on AI investments (FullView, 2025)
• 55% of customers prefer digital assistants (IBM, 2024)

But the real gain lies deeper:
AIenables more humanity because it frees employees from routine tasks.
Efficiency creates space for empathy.

By 2030, routine processes will be largely automated.
Employees will become relationship architects who combine expertise with emotional intelligence. Companies that master this combination early on will be the winners of this change.

Or to put it in a nutshell:
Digital first. Human always.

The future of customer service will not be decided by software, but by attitude.
AI can do a lot - but it only realises its true value when people manage it sensibly.
Technology is no substitute for empathy - it enables it.

Appeal to managers: Make AI a team member, not an adversary.
Ask yourself:

• What tasks can AI already take on today?
• Where is the human being your greatest advantage?

As is so often the case, the best answer lies between empathy and efficiency.