Technology in the Customer Experience: How to Combine Efficiency and Empathy
Last Updated on 7 November 2025 by Equipo Urbanitae
In an increasingly digital environment, the relationship between companies and customers no longer depends on a single channel, but on the ability to connect all touchpoints and maintain a consistent experience. This was the focus of the event “Omnichannel with Purpose: What to Adapt, What to Measure, and What to Let Go,” organized with the DEC Association and held at our Madrid headquarters.
Following the discussion in April about artificial intelligence and chatbots, this new session went a step further, analyzing how technology can humanize — rather than depersonalize — customer service.
The Challenge: Scaling Without Losing Closeness
Our growth has allowed us to expand the investor community, but it also requires rethinking how to maintain closeness and personalization at scale. According to Carlos Arteaga, Senior Portfolio Sales Manager at Urbanitae, the goal is to have a unified view of the customer, regardless of the channel they use.
His colleague David Pérez, Head of Investment Management, emphasized that technology should be an ally, not a substitute for human interaction. The key is not to automate for the sake of automating, but to use technology to listen better and respond faster, consistently, and personally. All speakers agreed that omnichannel is not about opening more contact channels, but about connecting the existing ones more effectively.
WhatsApp, AI, and Finding the Right Balance
One topic of debate was the role of WhatsApp in customer service. For some sectors, like retail and distribution, it has become standard; for others, it still raises concerns due to the immediacy it requires.
Marta Fernández, from Velilla Group, explained that her company conducted a preliminary study before implementing it: not all customers — or markets — communicate in the same way. Before adding a new channel, companies need to understand what customers want and why they want it.
The general consensus was that there is no single model. Each company must adapt channels to the expectations of its audience, using automation only when it adds value and leaving space for human interaction in key moments.
Efficiency and Experience: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Another major topic was operational efficiency. As Javier Camuña from Oney pointed out, well-implemented omnichannel strategies optimize resources and improve service quality. Phone contact is the most expensive: one advisor can handle only one call at a time, while in a chat, multiple conversations can be managed simultaneously.
The idea is not to reduce attention, but to focus it where it has the most impact. If digital processes handle basic queries, teams can concentrate on interactions that truly generate value — from loans and investments to complex claims.
Technology Serving Human Connection
Representatives from Eroski, Josu Madariaga and Azucena Gallardo, shared how they are applying artificial intelligence to transform customer service internally.
Madariaga explained that the company uses speech analytics to analyze thousands of conversations and detect behavior patterns, incidents, or early signs of dissatisfaction. Technology helps streamline the first contact, making it smoother, while allowing agents to focus on listening.
Gallardo highlighted that AI and new CRMs do not replace people but free up time to focus on what really matters. The goal was to improve the customer experience while increasing efficiency, allowing teams to spend more time with customers because other processes have been accelerated. The result is smoother service, fewer transfers, fewer errors, and more knowledge sharing across departments.
What to Measure and What to Let Go
A recurring lesson was that not everything that can be measured should be measured. Companies agreed that omnichannel only makes sense if it provides useful, actionable information: data that helps understand the customer, anticipate their needs, and improve the experience.
The risk, as Camuña noted, is getting lost in technology or the abundance of channels. More is not always better. What matters most is coherent communication, a single company voice, and ensuring every interaction reinforces the customer relationship.
Technology, Data, and Empathy
At Urbanitae, we continue advancing toward an omnichannel approach that combines artificial intelligence, data analytics, and human closeness. Digital tools are not an end in themselves but a way to reach each investor better, faster, and with more context.
The event confirmed that meaningful omnichannel experiences require three ingredients: listening, consistency, and empathy. Above all, a shared conviction among all speakers: technology should amplify the customer’s voice, not silence it.
