I have loved this song since it debuted about 14 years ago.
Travel is by definition a very personal experience. So automating much of it while logical is not necessarily good for that experience. Some things are ideally suited. Check-in, or more accurately queue avoidance makes sense. But service and support doesn't lend itself easily. I think while it has become better - audiotext menus are just terrible. I delight in making them break. But in general they are bad. Fear of screwing up has turned these menus into unnecessary challenges of mental manipulation (or the other M word). So far no study has been done on the impact of these automated interfaces on brand value. Instead like sheep we have no choice but to accept. Here is one perspective to consider. See what you think. Having spent 3 days at the WebinTravel conference which was all about connecting the human and the tech, I can assure you while there are many promising options - we have a long way to go. #CustomerService #automatons #Travel