Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Standard of Excellence: The Human Touch in an Automated World

We live in a world where everything from groceries to tech support is a click away. Automation has revolutionized the way we conduct business. From order tracking systems to AI-powered chatbots, automation can increase speed, improve accuracy, and reduce costs. However, with all that progress comes a critical challenge: How do we ensure that we don’t lose the human touch, the very thing that makes business relationships meaningful?

High-tech manufacturing automation, including the PCB industry, has brought tremendous benefits. Precision machinery, streamlined ordering portals, real-time data dashboards, and automated quality control systems have become essential tools. However, to maintain our reputation for excellence, we must remember that our greatest strength still lies in our employees, partners, and customers.

The real magic happens when automation and personal interaction work together. Automation should take care of the routine, repetitive, and predictable, freeing up people to do what machines can’t: build trust, solve complex problems, and connect on a personal level.

For example, a customer placing an order for a PCB prototype doesn’t need someone to confirm receipt of their Gerber files. An automated email or portal update can do that instantly and accurately. However, when that same customer has a unique stackup requirement or faces a production bottleneck that requires creative thinking, value is created when someone steps in. It’s not automation or personal care. It’s automation and personal care, strategically applied.

A powerful skill a customer-facing team can develop is knowing when to switch from automated to human interaction. It’s not always obvious. For example, a client receives an automated message that there is a delay in their order. That may be true, but if they’re under pressure from their customer or relying on this delivery to meet a milestone, that message can feel cold and inadequate. Here, nothing beats a call or email from someone who understands the urgency and can explain what’s being done to resolve the issue.

Training teams to recognize these inflection points and give them the authority to act can turn a potentially frustrating experience into a trust-building moment. It tells the customer that they’re not just another order in the queue; they matter to us.

The best automation systems reflect a company’s human values. When designed with intention, they can be warm, thoughtful, and even empathetic. We build too many automated systems purely for efficiency, with little regard for tone, timing, or user experience, but it doesn’t take much to make a difference. A chatbot that says, “Let me help you get what you need as quickly as possible,” instead of “Select option 1 to proceed,” already feels more human. An order update that includes a simple, “Thanks for trusting us with your project,” goes further than most people realize. These small touches make customers feel seen, even when there’s no one physically on the other side.

As automation handles more of the day-to-day, human interaction becomes more specialized and important. That’s why frontline employees, from account managers to engineers, need training not just in technical skills but in emotional intelligence. Empathy, active listening, clear communication, and problem-solving are no longer “soft skills.” They’re particularly important when dealing with high-stakes industries like aerospace, medical, or defense, where the margin for error is small and relationships are everything.

At American Standard Circuits, we’ve seen that investing in human skills pays off. When a customer calls with a last-minute change or a tough technical question, they don’t want to be passed around or wait for a ticket to be escalated. They want someone who understands their business, their urgency, and their standards. You can’t automate that.

As remote work, virtual meetings, and digital collaboration tools become the norm, maintaining strong personal relationships must be deliberate. It’s easy to let convenience replace connection. Companies that thrive go the extra mile to show interest and appreciation. They remember a customer’s preferences, follow up after a delivery, and check in after a project wraps up. Personalized holiday greetings, hand-written thank-you notes, or remembering someone’s birthday can also set you apart. These gestures don’t scale like automation, but they build loyalty.

Relying too heavily on automation can dehumanize the customer experience. If every interaction feels transactional, if no one follows up personally, and the only updates come from bots, customers can feel like they’re just a number on a screen. 

That’s a problem, especially in industries like ours where trust, reliability, and precision are mission critical. That’s why real people sign our emails, our order updates include contact information for someone who can help, and if a customer hits a roadblock, there’s always a person to pick up the phone.

People Still Want to Work With People
Technology is booming, but human nature hasn’t changed. We want to work with people we trust, make us feel heard, and who care about our success. We should use automation not to replace these things, but to make them easier. We use tools to streamline quoting, accelerate production, and communicate faster, but behind every email, delivery, and solution is a team that genuinely cares. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to, and it’s what our customers expect.

Automation will continue to expand. AI, machine learning, and advanced data analytics will reshape the way we manufacture, support, and scale. The companies that lead won’t simply have the best tech; they’ll use it to serve people better. 

The human touch isn’t going away. If anything, it’s becoming more valuable in an increasingly automated world. It’s how we differentiate, build trust, and deliver a standard of excellence, one customer, one conversation, one relationship at a time.

Anaya Vardya is president and CEO of American Standard Circuits; co-author of The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Fundamentals of RF/Microwave PCBs and Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals. He is the author of Thermal Management: A Fabricator's Perspective and The Companion Guide to Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals .Visit I-007eBooks.com to download these and other free, educational titles.