Computer scientist and inventor Pranav Mistry said “I’m good with digital technology, but I start to miss the physical world. I miss riding my bike, talking to friends.”

Today, technology that furthers the demise of live human conversation is everywhere you look. We have bots answering customer service questions, text messaging replacing talking, and IVRs answering questions and processing requests – all without the need for humans. Where businesses are getting it wrong is when they try to eliminate all human contact. The reality is, people still do love talking to people!

In fact in a recent customer service study, it was reported that 58% of customers surveyed in the United States thought that using chat bots for customer service was only somewhat effective, and 34% of those customers say that automated support is one of the most frustrating aspects of customer service.

With the above in mind, it’s clear that talking through live conversations isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Check out these 20 quotes from some of the most brilliant minds in the world about live interaction and personal contact. We hope they’ll inspire you to remember that employing call center services to manage your live customer communication essential to your businesses success.

John McCain, Politician:

“As far as this business of solitary confinement goes, the most important thing for survival is communication with someone, even if it’s only a wave or a wink, a tap on the wall, or to have a guy put his thumb up. It makes all the difference.”

Maulik Pancholy, Actor:

“I remind myself that I’m always more satisfied by human interaction than by a digital connection.”

Matthew Stewart, Philosopher:

“There were about two years when I literally paid no rent anywhere in the world. Everyone’s a contact, but there’s no real human interaction. That’s a very wearying thing.”

Jon Taffer, Entrepeneur:

“Human interaction is something that I believe, as humans, we crave for. And that is where bars and social environments come into play.”

Atul Gawande, Surgeon:

“Human beings are social creatures. We are social not just in the trivial sense that we like company, and not just in the obvious sense that we each depend on others. We are social in a more elemental way: simply to exist as a normal human being requires interaction with other people.”

Vincent Nichols, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church:

“We’re losing social skills, the human interaction skills, how to read a person’s mood, to read their body language, how to be patient until the moment is right to make or press a point. Too much exclusive use of electronic information dehumanizes what is a very, very important part of community life and living together.”

Brandon Jenner, TV Personality:

“We can bring positive energy into our daily lives by smiling more, talking to strangers in line, replacing handshakes with hugs, and calling our friends just to tell them we love them.”

Dan Gilbert, Businessman:

“There’s nothing better than people talking to each other, sharing best practices, and opening up communications.”

Ze Frank, Online Performance Artist:

“What better way to connect with people than by staring and talking straight at them? Don’t blink – that’s one less connection you could have made.”

Pepa, Rapper:

“Lack of communication is the key to any successful relationship going wrong.”

Russ, Rapper:

“I think talking things out is therapeutic.”

Anne Hathaway, Actress:

“I’m much happier talking with people than I am flirting with them.”

Ada Yonath, Crystallographer

“Problems should be solved by talking and not in an aggressive manner.”

Robert D. Putnam, Political Scientist:

“Community connectedness is not just about warm fuzzy tales of civic triumph. In measurable and well-documented ways, social capital makes an enormous difference in our lives…Social capital makes us smarter, healthier, safer, richer, and better able to govern a just and stable democracy.”

Sherry Turkle, Professor:

“We expect more from technology and less from each other. We create technology to provide the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship.”

Atul Gawande, Surgeon:

“Human interaction is the key force in overcoming resistance and speeding change.”

M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist and Author:

“All human interactions are opportunities either to learn or to teach.”

Stephen Covey, Educator and Author:

“The person who is truly effective has the humility and reverence to recognize his own perceptual limitations and to appreciate the rich resources available through interaction with the hearts and minds of other human beings.”

Reverend Malcolm Boyd, Priest and Author:

“Real answers need to be found in dialogue and interaction and, yes, our shared human condition. This means being open to one another instead of simply fighting to maintain a prescribed position.”

Earl Sweatshirt, Rapper:

“Miscommunication is the number one cause of all problems; communication is your bridge to other people. Without it, there’s nothing. So when it’s damaged, you have to solve all these problems it creates.”

Brian Tracy, Motivational Speaker:

“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”

Rollo May, Existential Psychologist:

“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.”

Joe Gebbia, Internet Entrepreneur:

“Digital communication is completely different from in-person, face-to-face conversations. One will give you surface insights, and the other really gives you depth.”

Jan Koum, Computer Programmer:

“Communication is at the very core of our society. That’s what makes us human.”

Charles Dickens, Author:

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.”

John Cena, Professional Wrestler:

“A relationship is based on communication.”

Christine Tsai, Venture Capitalist:

“If you invest the time earlier to create structure and process around communication, planning, and goal-setting, you can prevent missteps before they occur.”

Tom Peters, Author:

“Communication is everyone’s panacea for everything.”

Michel de Montaigne, French Philosopher:

“There is no pleasure to me without communication: there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced alone, and that I have no one to tell it to.”

Mary Dillon, Businesswoman:

“I’m the biggest fan of face-to-face communication.”

Pat Gillick, Professional Baseball Executive:

“Texting is a lot like an answering machine. If you don’t want to talk to somebody, it’s like screening your calls. To me, it’s a way of communication, but not one that I favor. ”

We hope you enjoyed these quotes! If you feel like we missed something, please get in touch with us on Twitter @SpecialtyAnswer