Are You Removing Friction or Removing the Human Connection?
Natalie K. Jackson September 30, 2026
Every time you change how customers interact with your business, you are asking them to learn something new.
I keep hearing from leaders “I want to free up our time to have more relationship-building time with our customers. I’m looking into <insert AI-based software> to do this.”.
I caution you: choosing too quickly can remove the human connection you are trying to create more time for. It’s an ironic loop, I know.
When you change how your customers experience your brand, they will notice. If the change asks for more without giving them something better in return, they may not like it.
For a gradual example of where this has worked, consider the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland in California. An air-conditioned escape from the heat, opened in June 1963 with 225 audio-animatronic performers – birds, orchids, totem poles, and tiki drummers.
Paired with the immersive experience is a cup of pineapple Dole Whip soft-serve ice cream you purchase beforehand and can bring inside with you for the 15-minute show.
We, as Disneyland guests, were gradually trained to order our Dole Whip on the Disneyland app vs. in person.
Several years ago my kids and I walked up to the Tiki Juice Bar and ordered on the spot. There was a small line, and it took about 5 minutes.
Two years later there was a sign saying we must order our Dole Whip via the Disneyland app. I hadn’t purchased on the app before, but I was used to the map and navigating line waits. The cast members at the Tiki Juice Bar spent quite a bit of time showing confused guests where to go on their phones and how to click through and order.
My son asked why we can’t just order right here, and my very CX-y answer was, “They’re training us to use the app to order. I wonder if this will be required everywhere.”
This summer we returned to Disneyland and ordered the Dole Whips on the app ahead of time – zero friction, zero learning curve, but no time interacting with the cast members except thanking them.
From looking into it, it seems that self-service passed the test when they ran it, but Disneyland has chosen to still offer in-person ordering at most places except a few mobile-only spots during peak hours. They are leveraging data to make these decisions – and continue to offer in-person ordering around the park.
This same test applies beyond a theme park. A plumber might replace a quick scheduling call with an online form that asks a homeowner, who’s likely already stressed, to diagnose the problem, upload photos, and choose a service category before talking to someone or booking time to get help.
The digital form may save office time, but if customers abandon it or choose the wrong option, the business has not removed friction. It has transferred the work to the customer.
This may also hand that customer to a competitor that is easier to work with.
For emergencies, perhaps offer a direct line to call and text. For non-emergencies like installing a new sink, perhaps offer a simple scheduling tool.
Think about what your organization has shifted to self-service and how you introduced that change.
How did you choose it?
How do customers feel about it? (what’s the data showing, and are you asking?)
Do you provide another option?
Before jumping to require your customers to self-serve, consider pressure testing how this will affect the customer experience.
Will this create more work, tension, and confusion or make it easier to work with you?
Listening tip: Before you require customers to self-serve, run a simple friction test. Ask three to five customers to complete the new step or process without coaching. Note where they hesitate or need help and compare that time and effort with the current experience. If the new option creates confusion or removes a moment customers value based on the situation they are in (like an active geyser filling up their kitchen), fix it or keep a human alternative before you scale it.
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