It is really easy to get confused by the vast amount of data available to us and to stop thinking about the human at the other end of an experience. 

There is a truism in sales that "people buy from people" and that is especially true if the product involves the knowledge of experts. It's the reason why having those experts active online is so important. It keeps a relationship alive in a way that few other channels can over the long-term.

There is, of course, a huge amount that can and should be done with automation but at the end of the day, if your end-user is buying from a human, that human should be part of your marketing mix.