I like that there's some level of the human element in the personal transactions I conduct with businesses, and I don't think I'm alone given how hackneyed the joke about bypassing automated phone support systems has become. If something falls outside company procedures there's usually someone who can help me out by bending the rules or deferring to a superior who can make an exception, or at the very least explain why it can't be done. Empathy plays a role.

If the entire business transaction is automated sure, maybe the more mundane everyday processes run smoother, but if there's an exception that wasn't accounted for you're shit out of luck.