In the past, in discussions about robots, it was sometimes said that 'automation' is never sick or never goes on strike (also referred to as 'work interruptions'). Those who still believe in this ignore the long list of disastrous IT projects and rattling software that paralyze companies or processes. Yes, rattling software still exists, even in our own industry.

ING, the largest bank in the Netherlands, has also succeeded in settling the bill in recent years with ICT that did not. The bank's results are also good: billions in profits are being made again. This makes the bank ready for the future. With such a well-stocked war chest, you as a bank also have options again: for example, investing in terms of employment or in more digitalisation. You will just see: your ICT is finally starting to get in order, the staff will make it difficult.

Cao or ICT

A while ago, a customer contact manager of this bank stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult – even in the north of the country – to find people for customer service. Trade union FNV has a point with the observation that the shortage that ING is experiencing is offset by reorganizations and outsourcing to low-wage countries. There is just staff in the house, you just have to want to keep it on board.

Of course, the unions also know that digitization and automation will only accelerate if they campaign very hard for better working conditions. ING is not a B-corp, but a traditional shareholder value-driven organisation. ING, in turn, can of course stop whining about scarcity on the labor market for customer contact employees. The GGDs made it painfully clear in corona time: customer contact employees are available in the Netherlands, you just have to be willing to pay for them.

Tired of work

Despite the advancing automation, there is currently more than enough human work in customer contact. Almost every day, companies and governments come up with new things that don't work properly or things that raise questions, which cannot be beaten by automation. ChatGPT4 will also have to be provided with data and trained before being able to solve the most recent customer problem.

There is work, there are customer contact personnel and there is money to pay customer contact personnel. Offshoring is therefore not the solution for labor shortages, but a response to the demand to continuously reduce costs and to make stakeholders other than employees happy. Scarcity is – in this case – a matter of money. Instead of personnel, you can also opt for software. Software doesn't choose work interruptions and doesn't get angry. Whether that will continue to be the case in the near future is an increasing question - maybe ChatGPT-6 has an answer to that. (Ziptone/Erik Bouwer)

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