I have a broken rear window in my Tesla. The window is a special window which makes replacing it difficult.
Two places can do the work. Both are highly automated. Both make no commitments on timeline. The experience is filled with disclaimers about their lack of commitment to do anything but try.
Trying feels like a copout. Commitment and competency are necessary to get things done.
This Tesla experience perfectly captures what’s happening across industries. Companies have automated themselves into feedbackless loops where customers get stuck pressing 2 to make new appointments that lead to hair pulling and wasted time.
But aviation is different. It has to be. At least it should be…
The Human Element Cannot Be Automated Away
After 20 years building one of the largest construction businesses in the Southeast, I moved into aviation sales. People assume customer service expectations are the same across industries.
They’re wrong about the execution.
Aircraft transactions involve complex logistics, taxation questions, equipment details, and moving considerations that require outside professionals. Even well-scripted AI bots cannot handle the decision-making complexity required to satisfy pilots.
More importantly, humans need human connection. They need reassurance. The digital world is fraught with fraud, and without deep cybersecurity knowledge, it’s easy to get duped.
Having a human voice who listens to aviation stories and asks about flying experience creates trust. That trust ensures the pilot’s unique background matches their purchase or sale.
Connection becomes fraud protection.
The Emotional Reality Nobody Talks About
Most aviators deny the emotional role in aircraft transactions. But money is a charged issue in society.
When someone has spent thousands of hours flying, maintaining, and making memories in an aircraft, it becomes part of the family. Even buyers who hold aircraft briefly develop identity connections to their type or the satisfaction of making smart purchases.
You cannot automate family dynamics.
This is the human part. We engage and listen. This is what computers cannot do. It’s what makes the work fun and real for us as well.
Customer service in aviation means evoking confidence in us with our customers. It’s about consistency, nothing dramatic or groundbreaking. Creating pathways and plans for reliability while staying present.
Reading the Signals
People tell you directly what they need. Someone who needs more interaction asks questions, tells stories, stays present to connect.
Even gruff clients will talk. They might start off rough, but by staying the course and listening for questions, you find opportunities to educate about your business model or specific aircraft.
To get through any transaction, one must build bridges between interested parties. There’s always a discrepancy in price, location, or equipment. Finding common ground brings deals together.
A buyer might prefer lower engine time, upgraded avionics, or a lower price. Looking at purchases holistically, buyers and sellers find middle ground. Information gets us there.
Sellers need education about expected experiences and pricing based on their unique aircraft. Buyers need education on technical specifications, expected pricing, and procedures.
It starts with listening. Even a gruff client who’s talking is asking for something. If we can help, we do.
The Automation Balance
Automation works for standardized benchmarks. Customers need status updates of their deals and that their inquiries landed, even without questions. But there must always be a person ready to jump in when responses come back.
The consequence of avoiding modern tools is operational cost increases and a decrease in connection quality. If human support costs too much, customers get less support. If systems become too automated, we get stuck in those feedbackless loops.
Amazon provides an excellent example. They use extensive AI and automation while keeping you informed at every step. When something goes wrong, you can reach a person within minutes.
They tried removing people from their phone system. It didn’t work. Improving status communication takes pressure off human resources, allowing real humans to handle unique circumstances.
This balance matters. Research shows that 80% of customer service organizations will use AI in 2025, but human connection remains irreplaceable for complex interactions.
The Future Splits Into Two Paths
We’re not heading toward high-value versus low-value service tiers. The split happens between companies that understand service design and those that don’t.
Some leadership teams know how to balance computers, information, and human touch. Others chase pure automation.
Remember Zappos. While they’re not what they used to be, they once delivered literally the best customer service ever. CEO Tony Hsieh famously stated that customer service shouldn’t be a department, but the entire company.
The companies that get this balance right will dominate their markets. Studies confirm that over 50% of customers will switch after a single unsatisfactory experience.
Even digital natives value human connection. 71% of Gen Z reaches out via phone for complex service issues, citing comfort with human interaction as the top reason.
Aviation Shows the Way Forward
Aviation transactions require the perfect marriage of efficiency and personal attention. Our Cockpit Concierge model at AirSpace Auctions demonstrates this balance.
We use technology to digitize logbooks, create specification summaries, photograph every component, and produce virtual tours. This information compiles in Virtual Data Rooms that provide complete transparency.
But every buyer and seller gets a dedicated human representative. These concierges provide market valuations, develop marketing strategies, and maintain open communication throughout transactions.
The auction platform handles bidding mechanics automatically. The humans handle relationship building, education, and complex decision support.
This isn’t tension between old and new models. Removing traditional dealer geography restrictions doesn’t mean removing human experience. Connection doesn’t require the same room.
What This Means for Every Industry
Aviation’s approach offers a blueprint for other industries. The key insights transfer across markets:
First, automation should enhance human capabilities, not replace them. Use technology to handle routine communications and information management. Reserve humans for complex decisions and relationship building.
Second, consistency beats drama. Customer service isn’t about heroic recoveries from disasters. It’s about reliable, predictable experiences that build trust over time.
Third, emotional intelligence cannot be coded. High-value transactions always involve emotional components. Humans need other humans to navigate these feelings, especially when significant money is involved.
Fourth, information quality determines service quality. The better your automated systems inform customers about status and next steps, the more your human resources can focus on unique situations.
The companies that master this balance will separate themselves from competitors stuck in feedbackless loops. They’ll build customer loyalty while maintaining operational efficiency.
Aviation shows this future is possible. The question isn’t whether customer service will survive the automation wave.
The question is which companies will learn from aviation’s example and which will keep their customers pressing 2 for appointments that never come.
Visit us at Oshkosh booth 4088 to experience what customer service looks like when humans and technology work together properly.
The future of service isn’t about choosing between efficiency and connection. It’s about designing systems where both thrive.