ChatGPT may be a game changer, but not in the way you think

ChatGPT has the potential to poison business relationships for those that value trust in their human connections and it won’t change business like it’s predicted to.

When customers trust your business, they find you credible and want to do business with you and relying on ChatGPT may jeopardise these relationships. 

Customer trust is so important for business growth and right now ChatGPT can’t be trusted.

People want the connection that comes with a real live human. It’s why people distrust call centres. Language barriers, cultural differences and queries being answered from a script is like dealing with a chatbot.

The reality is ChatGPT is an untrustworthy toy, it’s not an authority, it doesn’t understand what it’s producing, it can’t empathise with clients and it can’t read non-verbal communication.

Of course, AI language technologies are a game changer but outsourcing or relying on them does come with risks.

Successful companies know how to engage customers at the right time, interpret their behaviour, deliver a solution and change the approach when needed and we shouldn’t confuse ChatGPT automated information with these skills. 

The chat tool lacks the magic function of relationship building, strategic thinking and having someone that can answer questions in a personal way.

If companies think they’re going to be able to use these types of programs to negotiate and win high-value contracts, they’re wrong, because the success behind those types of business deals is the genuine connection and person-to-person relationship.

Sure, I’ve experimented with a version of ChatGPT to successfully generate business leads, but ChatGPT is not a substitute for generating sales.

These language programs can’t replicate the human touch and the emotional intelligence that business and sales professionals possess and use to build relationships.

The customer experience is a company’s competitive differentiator — and the best person to undertake due diligence is a human and not ChatGPT.

Why ChatGPT may not be suited to your work environment:

It can’t give you a relationship you haven’t earned

It can’t replace the intimacy required in a sales conversation or to convert sales. Relationship building is about trust and meaningful connections with customers and this trust is jeopardised when we rely on programmed information for deal-making.

 It’s a data centre, not a human being

When using programs such as ChatGPT, think of it as a personal assistant and one that like all humans, makes mistakes. Remember it’s not human and it’s not able to innovate or provide logic, reason or explain the intention behind the information you’ve asked of it. You still need a relationship with clients when using or applying the information.

It’s not an authority for strategic decision making

In a sales interaction what’s crucial is identifying and determining the size of a client problems, whether they have an appetite to solve it and if you are the right person to work with to solve their problem. Business need to be wary about relying on ChatGPT to make these strategic decisions because decisions invariably come down to likeability and trust.

Technology is only part of the sales equation

ChatGPT isn’t designed to pick up on the nuances of human language or express empathy or other emotions — and these qualities are the very foundations for trusting relationships. 

Find the right balance between AI and human intelligence

Businesses are always looking for ways AI technologies can work to improve their productivity, profitability and business results. A chatbot can help qualify leads but it can’t negotiate or close sales because it lacks the human experience of what works.

Julia Ewert is a sales strategist and professional negotiator. She teaches businesses, high-level executives and leaders how to generate consistent and predictable revenue and optimise margins by building a holistic sales system with a proven sales process.