At my usual pharmacy, I wait in line, talk to a clerk, and, if I want, they offer to let me speak to a pharmacist if I have any questions. There’s at least some human connection, however brief.
But at this other location, human interaction had been stripped away. I was told to go to a kiosk, type in my information, and wait for my order to be brought out. No one or the machine asked me if I had questions. A clerk silently handed me the bag and receipt, then walked away.
Meanwhile, another couple in the store was demanding to see a manager, upset that they couldn’t get meaningful help from a pharmacist. Their frustration boiled over to the point of shouting and filming.
It left me asking: Is this the future of customer service?
From Clerks to Kiosks: Automation in Customer Service
We’ve seen this pattern before. First, companies introduce self-checkout lanes “for convenience.” Then, more lanes go self-service, while fewer cashiers remain up front.
The same thing seems to be happening with pharmacy automation. Humans are still in the back—at least for now—but they’re being shielded from routine interactions. How long before they’re replaced entirely by robots, AI chat systems, or even automated pill dispensers?
It’s not hard to imagine.
Do Customers Actually Want Less Human Interaction?
Of course, there’s another angle: maybe customers prefer less human interaction
Some people like avoiding small talk with clerks or baristas. Many already choose self-checkout because it feels faster. In online discussions, I’ve even seen people talk about their favorite ice cream scooper at the local shop—suggesting that some of us still crave those small human touches.
So the question is: are businesses pushing us toward less human contact, or are they simply giving people what they want?
A World Without Small Talk?
Think about it:
- Ordering at a restaurant via a tablet.
- Getting delivery from a robot.
- Calling a company and fighting through a maze of automated menus.
- Soon, maybe even hailing a *driverless car* instead of chatting with a rideshare driver.
Our daily lives could easily become a series of silent transactions, with fewer and fewer spontaneous conversations.
Convenience vs. Connection
I consider myself fairly tech-savvy. I’m fine with self-service kiosks when it makes things easier. What I dislike is when companies make it harder to reach a real person—when the system is designed to discourage human contact rather than streamline it.
There’s a difference between choosing automation and being forced into it.
What Kind of Future Do We Want?
My brief trip to the pharmacy turned into a bigger question: Are we heading toward a world where human interaction is optional—or nearly extinct?
Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle. Some people want convenience. Others value connection. But the balance we strike will shape not just the way businesses operate, but the kind of world we live in.
For now, I remain uncertain. But I know this: the future of customer service is about much more than efficiency. It’s about deciding how much we value the small, human moments that connect us in daily life.
