WHY IVRS AND CHATBOTS ARE KILLING YOUR BUSINESS

A Scene That Said It All

Back in 2005, while I was Managing Director of an advertising agency in Jordan, I visited our regional head office in Dubai. As I sat in the lobby waiting for the CEO, I noticed something fascinating. The phones were ringing non-stop. Five receptionists were practically racing each other to keep up with incoming calls. It was complete chaos—but an energizing one.

Despite the frenzy, every receptionist was smiling, fully engaged in conversation, and clearly conducting business on the spot. There was no automation. No machines. Just people. Real ones.

So I asked the CEO, “Why haven’t you installed an IVR to take the pressure off your reception team?”

His answer?

“Why on earth would I risk losing a client or prospect just because they couldn’t speak to a real human who can actually help—or sell—to them?”

That response has stuck with me ever since.

Enter the Age of the IVR .... and then Chatbots

IVRs—Interactive Voice Response systems—were all the rage back then. You know the drill: “Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support,” followed by endless options, misrouted calls, and the inevitable zero to reach a human being.

Being in the digital era we're in, Chatbots are being added to many websites while phone numbers and email addresses disappearing completely. Unfortunately, most of these Chatbots are as useless as they can be. Personally, I would say I can't get more than 5% of my needs done on these systems.

Just recently, I received an email from a credit card company asking me to either activate a new credit card they issued for my business, or "chat with them". So I did. And what were the options I was given by the Bot? To request a replacement card for one of my older cards, or enter the account number of the new card. Well, I haven't received the card yet, have I. And in the complete absence of a phone number or email address, I guess I will never see that card in my wallet.

The Marketing Irony

We spend thousands—sometimes millions—on digital marketing, SEO, lead generation campaigns, and web optimization, all aimed at one goal: getting people to contact us.

And then what do we do?

We greet them with a robot.

Whether it’s an IVR system, a chatbot, or a generic autoresponder, what we’re really telling them is:

“You’re not worth our time.”

Machines Don’t Sell

Let’s be honest.

No matter how smart your automation is, it cannot replace a well-trained, friendly, and knowledgeable human being. A good customer service representative doesn’t just answer questions—they build rapport, upsell, cross-sell, and close.

I can personally name several brands that lost my business because of this.

And more and more brands almost no real support unless you slam them publicly on Twitter. Then—suddenly—someone with a brain DMs you asking to help.

Why should it be that hard?

Even the Best Bots Send the Wrong Message

Let’s assume your IVR or chatbot is world-class. It understands natural language, routes correctly, and solves simple issues.

Even then, what are you really saying to your customer?

You’re telling them they don’t deserve a real person. That they should figure it out on their own. That they’re not worth it.

And that’s no way to treat a customer—especially not one who’s just about to become a client.

It’s About Priorities

I’m all for technology. But not at the cost of connection.

There are places where machines belong, and places they don’t.

Automated systems should support—not replace—humans. The key is balance. Don’t cut costs in the one area that truly makes or breaks your brand: your customer interface.

The Smarter Investment

Instead of wasting money on robotic front lines, invest in real people:

Hire talented customer service reps
Train them thoroughly
Empower them to solve, sell, and delight

The ROI will be far greater than what any chatbot could ever provide.

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