5 CX trends changing the role of practitioners in APAC

As we head into the second half of 2024, it is clear the combination of evolving technology and fast-paced changes in customer expectations means brands in the APAC region need innovation and adaptability more than ever.

To get an accurate snapshot of exactly how CX practitioners are navigating the current trading environment, we asked our network members in the APAC region to select the three trends that are having the greatest influence on their role at present, from a list of 33 options.

As explained in our report on the Global State of CX in 2024, the results provide a revealing insight into how the latest advancements are reshaping the roles of CX professionals in APAC.

Moreover, the picture that emerges shows that key trends are redefining the future of CX in the region, and practitioners are harnessing these trends to help APAC brands rise to their challenges and meet evolving customer expectations.

The diagram below shows the top 10 CX trends our network members say are having the greatest influence on their role at present.

1. Automation

It is fair to say that automation has revolutionized CX by streamlining processes, reducing operational costs and enhancing customer satisfaction through efficiency.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, automation has emerged as the leading trend in APAC, with 46 percent of CX practitioners in the region identifying it as having the most significant impact on their roles in 2024.

Furthermore, our research found that automation of CX and service functions is also a top investment priority for 44 percent of APAC organizations, with key strategic aims including the reduction of handle wait times and improvement of user experience across devices and channels.

Offering advice on harnessing automation, Pedro Andrade, VP of artificial intelligence (AI) at Talkdesk, says: “The first step is to target low-complexity, high-volume tasks. The identified tasks will vary between industries, but the principles remain the same.”

How automation can empower customer service in this video featuring CX Network Advisory Board member, Josh Tye.

2. Customer loyalty and retention

Customer loyalty and retention remain as crucial to CX as ever, as businesses recognize the value of maintaining a returning customer base, increasing repeat business and converting satisfied customers into loyal customers who refer their friends and family.

In the APAC region, customer loyalty and retention was highlighted by 34 percent of CX practitioners as a key trend for 2024 – and one of only two non-tech-related priorities in the top trends list.

Elsewhere in the results, growing the customer base was identified as a top strategic aim for 56 percent of APAC organizations in our research, and a strong focus on structured loyalty initiatives was likewise evident, with 40  percent of APAC organizations offering points-based loyalty programs.

However, Travis Gelbrich, VP of customer care and contact center at PetCo, says: “Linking CX improvements and investments to new and returning customers is still a challenge.”

Here are five more insights on loyalty and retention
from the Global State of CX

3. Data and analytics

Understanding customer behavior, personalizing interactions and making data-driven decisions is essential in the modern CX environment. In the APAC region, 34 percent of CX practitioners expect data and analytics to significantly impact their roles in 2024.

Reflecting the importance of data and analytics in achieving strategic goals, 26 percent plan to invest in this area over the coming year.

According to Yvette Mihelic, director of CX at John Holland Group and a CX Network Advisory Board member, practitioners must focus on creating actionable insights to enhance customer experiences. “Creating a data set profile that provides you with the information you need – preferably leading, rather than lagging – helps create meaningful change and improvements in the end-to-end delivery of an experience, resulting in improved performance,” she told the report.

In this session from All Access: Future of CX, Harvey Turner, global insight and analytics manager at McDonald’s, explains how the global megabrand puts the data of 69 million customers to work to unlock solutions to business needs while putting customers first, wherever they are.

4. AI-powered technologies for operations

There are numerous ways that AI-powered technologies are enhancing CX and operations, including the automation of tasks, improvements in efficiency, and the delivery of more accurate customer insights.

In the APAC region, 32 percent of CX practitioners see the use of AI-powered technologies for operations as a key trend. Furthermore, investment in AI and machine learning for business operations is planned by 22 percent of Asia-Pacific organizations, reflecting a growing emphasis on integrating advanced technologies to optimize CX processes.

As Colin Crowley, VP of customer support for Maven Clinic says, AI can be used for tasks such as conducting rich Voice of the Customer (VoC) analysis of written contacts and transcription. “This actually adds a positive value to customers contacting you through the learnings and insights that customer contacts generate, as opposed to customer contacts being seen primarily as a cost,” he said.

This year, Flight Centre became one of the first organizations in the Asia-Pacific region to use Qualtrics’ AI-powered conversational analytics and natural language processing (NLP) technologies for this purpose.

Since early 2024, Flight Centre has analyzed millions of sentences of unstructured feedback shared by its customers and has scaled the capabilities across its omnichannel suite over several months.

The insights generated inform CX improvements that allow Flight Centre to deliver tailored experiences that address customers’ unmet needs and points of friction. The company says this creates opportunities to enhance the CX in the moments and channels that matter.

“While the needs, expectations, and behaviors of travelers continue to change at an accelerated rate, Flight Centre is able to deeply understand and respond to their needs better than ever before,” says Flight Centre global MD, Andrew Stark.

Click here to read the Flight Centre story in full

5. Generative AI chatbots and virtual assistants

Generative AI chatbots and virtual assistants are delivering highly personalized and efficient customer interactions across APAC. In fact, our research found that 27 percent of CX practitioners in the region believe generative AI and chatbots will influence their role over the coming year.    

Generative AI can understand and respond to natural language queries, enabling seamless, human-like and even empathetic interactions with customers. Additionally, investment in conversational AI chatbots and virtual assistants is planned by 24 percent of respondents in the APAC region.

“Generative AI is profoundly impacting virtual agents and agent assistants, elevating their capabilities and enhancing their ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences,” Andrade said.

“These AI-driven virtual agents possess the ability to comprehend context, infer intent and autonomously resolve a wide range of inquiries, reducing the need for human intervention in complex and routine tasks,” he added.

However, generative AI has many uses which go beyond automating service conversations. Discover how Fun.com is using generative AI to create product descriptions and bring new efficiencies to pre-purchase customer interactions and evergreen content.

Conclusion

While many fear the impact of AI, the evidence would suggest it is having a hugely positive impact on roles of CX practitioners throughout APAC and beyond, taking care of routine – and even some non-routine tasks – as well as crucial analysis, allowing more time to be spent on vital and enduring CX fundamentals like increasing customer loyalty and retention.

The more things change, the more they stay the same!

Special Report: The Global State of CX 2024

Now in its eighth year, this edition of our flagship annual report is also the first in the Global State series to examine the profit and loyalty benefits delivered by disruptor technologies such as generative AI and virtual reality. Download the Global State of CX 2024 now.

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