Are We Losing Our Humanity in Business? (And What to Do About It)

I need to ask you something that might sting a bit. When did you last have a proper conversation with a customer? Not a DM exchange or a comment thread, an actual conversation where you could see their face, hear their tone, maybe even share a laugh over something completely unrelated to business?

If you're sitting there trying to remember, you're not alone.

We've all slipped into this digital-first world where relationships happen through screens and authenticity gets lost somewhere between the algorithm and the automated response.

The Great Disconnect (Or How We All Became Strangers)

I watched it happen slowly, then all at once. Co-workers who used to have a proper chat by the coffee machine now send Slack messages from three desks away. Customers who were once familiar faces, you know, the ones whose kids you'd ask about, became usernames and profile pictures.

The warmth of real connection got replaced by the efficiency of digital interaction. And here's the bit that really gets me: we convinced ourselves this was progress.

Look, I'm not some digital dinosaur banging on about the good old days. Digital tools have genuinely transformed how we do business, and most of it's brilliant. But somewhere along the way, we forgot that business is fundamentally about people. Real people with real needs, frustrations, and stories that matter.

The Entitlement Epidemic (Yes, It's Real)

You've felt it, haven't you? That shift in how people communicate online versus face-to-face. Behind a screen, everyone's suddenly an expert, a critic, a keyboard warrior with nothing to lose.

The same person who'd politely ask for help in your shop will absolutely tear you apart in your comments section without thinking twice. It's crazy when you think about it.

It's like the digital world handed everyone a free pass to forget their manners. Your years of expertise? Meaningless to someone who spent five minutes on Google. Your carefully crafted service? Dismissed with a one-star review because their completely unrealistic expectations weren't met.

And before you think I'm being overly sensitive, I'm not. This is about the complete erosion of basic human respect in business interactions. We've lost the plot, frankly.

The Authenticity Crisis (AKA Everyone Sounds the Same)

Then there's the AI situation. Don't panic, I'm not about to launch into some tech-phobic rant. AI has its place, and used thoughtfully, it can genuinely help businesses and help give us small businesses a chance against the big dogs.  

But when every email sounds like it was written by the same robot, when social media posts follow identical templates, when personality gets sanitised out of everything, we lose what makes us human.

Customers aren't stupid. They can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. They're crying out for real connection in an increasingly artificial world. Yet here we are, so busy trying to scale and systemise that we've automated away our voices.

Brilliant strategy, that.

Building Real Community When Half Your Life's Online

So, how do we fix this mess? How do we build genuine community when half our interactions happen through screens?

Start small, but start somewhere. Pick up the bloody phone instead of sending another email. Host actual in-person events, even if it's just coffee with five clients. Share your real thoughts, not just your polished brand messaging. Show your actual face in videos instead of hiding behind stock photos and graphics that could belong to anyone.

Remember that behind every username is a real person with real problems you might actually be able to solve. Treat them like you would if they walked into your actual space, with respect, interest, and maybe even a bit of warmth.

Building a real community means being genuinely interested in your customers' success, not just their purchases. It means admitting when you've cocked things up instead of hiding behind corporate speak. It means choosing connection over conversion, even when it's messier and less efficient.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Here's what I think: we're all a bit to blame for this disconnect. Business owners got seduced by the promise of scaling without the messy complications of human emotion. Customers got comfortable hiding behind screens instead of having difficult conversations. And we all collectively decided that outrage was more engaging than understanding.

But maybe that's alright. Maybe recognising our part in this mess is the first step towards rebuilding something that works for everyone.

So here's my question for you: Have you had a recent experience where digital interaction felt too impersonal? Have you taken any steps to bring humanity back into your business? Let me know in the comments.

I promise I'll respond as an actual human, not a bot.