There was a time when only the most high-tech of nonprofits were able to take online donations, so that no one had to deliver a check or cash to us… There was a time when only the most high-tech of nonprofits were able to allow supporters to log into their websites, so that no one had to call our office to get details about their statements. It seems that in our quest to be as high-tech as possible, we strive for the least possible human interaction.
We can order food through an app and have it left at our front door. We can purchase practically anything online without ever interacting with a human being. And, of course, our supporters can learn about our nonprofits, RSVP for our events (which are often virtual), and donate to our cause without ever speaking to or smiling at a person.
Sure, it streamlines our organization – not having to put someone at the front desk to answer phone calls, and being able to cut back on our accounting fees, but is that really the direction we want to go? Is high-tech, at the expense of losing human interactions, really the future?
Disney has always been a high-touch organization. Even as they have added high-tech options for ordering food or deciding which attractions to visit next in their theme parks, you will still see humans at the entrance to every ride, standing next to the boards that show the approximate wait times, and behind the desk at city hall, to field the requests and complaints of theme park guests.
We can learn a lot from Disney, who use high-tech to compliment their high-touch techniques, rather than to replace them.
How can we follow this model as nonprofit imagineers?
When someone donates to your organization, do they only receive an automated response, or is there a follow-up from a human being, regardless of how large or small that donation was? When they RSVP for an event, or after they attended your event, does a real person send them a note thanking them for joining you? Is calling your office closer to trying to speak to a Disneyland cast member, or trying to cancel your cable subscription?
Take a moment to evaluate your use of high-tech and see whether it’s helping or hurting your organization in the long run. Does high-tech free up time so that your employees can focus on more high-touch opportunities, or has it only reduced them? Is high-tech helping people fall in love with your organization? And most importantly, is high-tech helping your organization be the reason someone smiles today?
No? Then let’s fix that!
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