Life admin costs the UK billions. ArvatoConnect CEO, Debra Maxwell, says tech is part of the solution, but the real skill is striking the right balance between human and digital resources which are essential for better outcomes.
According to think tank The New Britain Project, Brits now spend more than 1.5 billion hours a year stuck in “life admin” – navigating convoluted customer journeys, sitting on hold, repeating themselves.
On an individual level, they lose between 28 to 41 minutes every week battling admin tasks, a seemingly small figure that quickly adds up. The economic cost is a staggering £26 billion in lost productivity in the UK, and it’s easy to see how this might be shaping perceptions and weakening trust when it comes to customer experience.
The real foundation of effective customer experience is crafting customer-centric solutions that harness the latest technologies to deliver personalised, faster, more accurate service, while reducing inefficiencies.
Done well, it’s about retaining sufficient human intervention, ready to step in at precisely the right moment when the technology has reached its limit.
Too often, businesses either leap to technology as a quick fix, creating overreliance, or they are too slow to adopt digital advances, relying on people-heavy resources that can be easily overwhelmed leading to frustrating wait times.
First, get the balance right
That’s why the question for businesses isn’t whether to digitally transform – it’s how to strike the right balance between the customers’ requirements, technology and human support. There’s no universal formula, but many organisations are either focusing solely on technology, failing to keep up or not taking customers’ diverse needs into account.
Used well, technology like AI and automation streamlines simple processes, speeds up service and helps tailor interactions. But customers still need the flexibility, empathy and reassurance that comes with speaking to a person, especially in moments of vulnerability or complexity.
A recent report, AI, Digital Transformation and Vulnerable Customers, makes this clear: nearly half (48%) of vulnerable individuals avoid organisations with services that don’t meet their needs and 78% say they prefer to speak to a person when seeking support.
The most effective service models are hybrid – combining tools like chatbots, workflow automation and smart routing with empowered human agents. That means resisting the temptation to overhaul systems just for the sake of it and instead taking an insight-led approach driven by what customers actually need.
But for any balanced model to truly work, the organisational culture must empower and support those people using, or working alongside, the technology tools.
What an empowered culture looks like
A truly supportive environment for customer experience isn’t about bean bags, perks or slogans. It’s about structures and behaviours that allow people to thrive, with the right culture to support them. That means hiring for attitude, not just efficiency. It means investing in training that builds emotional intelligence, listening skills and decision-making with confidence, not just system fluency.
It also means removing unnecessary constraints. Frontline teams need the freedom to solve problems, not follow scripts. They need to be trusted to act in the customer’s best interest and backed when they do.
They also need to be engaged with the development and design of technology to ensure any progress is delivering not only for the customer but for colleagues too.
Change starts at the top
Ultimately this starts with leadership. When executives see customer experience as a strategic priority, everything else falls into place.
That means redefining success. Metrics that reward speed and volume at the expense of quality will always drive the wrong behaviours. True customer service lies in resolution quality, emotional outcomes and ease of effort.
Recruitment processes must evolve, too. Hiring for technical skill alone is no longer enough. Service roles require empathy, resilience and adaptability. And those traits need to be nurtured, not assumed.
Training can’t stop at induction. Ongoing coaching should cover the human side of service delivery – tone, trust-building, de-escalation and how to work hand in hand with the systems in place.
Feedback loops also matter. The best insights into what needs improving in a system come from the people using it every day. Involve frontline teams shaping processes and driving excellence, not just executing them.
We also firmly believe this is where partners, like ArvatoConnect, can play a valuable role. They bring years of experience of getting this balance right, a track record of transforming company cultures, while also navigating the fine line between the vested interests of internal stakeholders and an objective viewpoint.
It’s a long-term commitment
Ultimately, building an empowered culture isn’t a campaign or initiative. It’s a mindset. One that takes belief, consistency and long-term investment.
Technology has the potential to enhance experiences when implemented in a measured, balanced approach. But the real key to beating the life admin drag lies in the culture that powers the service. One where people are trusted, supported and empowered to make things better, for the customer and for each other.