Why the Human Touch Still Matters in an AI-Driven CRM World

Steve Oriola, CEO of Insightly by Unbounce, explains why a human touch is still essential in a marketplace where AI-driven CRM systems are king. This article originally appeared in Insight Jam, an enterprise IT community that enables human conversation on AI.

Customer loyalty remains the ultimate performance metric. True loyalty isn’t a single transaction; it’s the repeat choice, the ongoing renewal, and the advocacy that follows a great experience. While human connection is the foundation of that loyalty, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations can scale it. CRMs exist to create and retain relationships. It’s the only software tool with “relationship” in the name. And while we seek to leverage AI in many ways, we can’t move too far in the direction of automation.

In today’s digital ecosystem, AI powers everything from creation to analysis. The key to the next generation of customer experience (CX) won’t be choosing between efficiency and empathy, but about achieving the right balance between the two.

The Dual Edge of AI in CX

AI is transforming the way businesses understand and engage with customers. Modern CRM and marketing automation platforms are now equipped with built-in AI capabilities that can analyze behaviour patterns, detect buying intent, and automate personalized outreach at scale. This level of efficiency drives faster service and reduces operational friction. Customers benefit from instant answers and seamless processes. But it also introduces a risk: automation without empathy.

Automated systems, when left unchecked, can miss nuance or fail to interpret emotional tone. Overreliance on AI can make interactions feel cold and transactional, eroding the trust and emotional connection that drive retention.

With over a decade of experience innovating with CRM, I’ve found that any type of automation works best when it amplifies human judgment, rather than replacing it. Businesses that deploy AI thoughtfully design workflows where technology supports empathy, rather than competing with it. The data backs this up. A recent Zurich study (2025) found that 73 percent of consumers avoid businesses that don’t demonstrate empathy, proving that even in a digital-first environment, emotional intelligence remains a decisive differentiator.

Building AI-Driven CRM Strategies Without Losing Trust

AI is redefining what customer relationship management (CRM) means. Beyond data organization, CRMs are evolving into intelligence platforms that can surface actionable insights and predict future outcomes. Here’s how leading organizations are leveraging AI for smarter, trust-centered engagement:

• Predictive revenue intelligence. AI-driven scoring models identify which prospects are most likely to close, helping teams focus on the highest-value opportunities.
• Sentiment and intent analysis. Natural language processing tools analyze tone, emotion, and urgency across communications, helping teams respond with empathy and precision.
• Automated health alerts. Machine learning models can identify at-risk customers based on low engagement or negative sentiment signals, enabling proactive outreach before churn occurs.

However, transparency is key. Customers must be aware when they’re interacting with AI and have clear pathways to human support when necessary. Trust is not built by hiding automation but by making it a known, seamless extension of human-led service.

Designing Workflows Where Automation Enhances Human Value

Automation should never replace human skill, but it can and should remove the friction that prevents humans from doing their best work. AI excels at routine and repetitive tasks, such as summarizing emails, scheduling follow-ups, or updating deal stages. Humans excel at empathy, problem-solving, and strategic insight.

In high-performing CX organizations, these two forces work together. For example:

• AI chatbots can handle FAQs or gather context before routing prospects to live sales representatives, reducing response time while enabling salespeople to focus on high-value opportunities.
• Marketing teams can automate data capture and lead scoring while focusing on creative campaigns, relationship building, and tailored proposals.

The best workflows are built around a simple rule: automate what doesn’t require empathy, and invest human energy where it does.

Leaders also need to invest in AI literacy across teams. Training employees to understand how AI surfaces insights—and how to act on them—ensures that adoption doesn’t feel threatening, but rather empowering.

The Future of CX: Human Empathy, Supercharged by AI

The evolution of customer experience depends on maintaining equilibrium—data with empathy, speed with sincerity. AI will continue to reduce the manual workload and accelerate responsiveness, but empathy will always be the differentiator that keeps customers loyal. Leaders must not only decide what to automate, but also consciously define what should remain human.

In the end, AI can make you faster, but empathy makes you unforgettable. The organizations that master both will lead the next era of customer experience—one where technology doesn’t replace humanity, but enables it at scale.