Get the front line people involved in the solutions. Explain to them the reason for the focus on efficiency and why and then ask them how we can still care for our customers and what things we can do to accomplish both the efficiency but still care for customers. The people actually talking to the customers know best so listen to them.

Balancing operational efficiency with strong customer relationships requires smart strategies. Automate routine tasks to free up time for personalized interactions, integrate customer feedback into operations, and use CRM tools for proactive communication. Empower frontline teams with decision-making authority to resolve issues swiftly. By streamlining processes and focusing on customer needs, you can nurture relationships without sacrificing operational excellence.

There are 2 approaches that I use regularly (usually together). Firstly, I automate routine tasks to allow for more personalized interactions to help strengthen my relationships with customers. Secondly (and my personal favorite), I continuously gather customer feedback and use it to improve operations. Both ways help ensure that efficiency is prioritized while still holding customers' needs and expectations at a high value as well.