3 artificial intelligence trends in CX to capitalize on in 2023
As 2023 begins, learn how brands are applying artificial intelligence (AI) to their CX efforts and how this puts customers first by offering personalized, frictionless experiences
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CX Network takes a look at three major trends with regard to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in CX.
We highlight key statistics uncovered in our Artificial Intelligence in Customer Experience 2022 report, which gathered the insights of 100 CX experts to hear their thoughts on the trajectory of AI in customer experience
Chatbots and virtual assistants are on the rise
The report revealed that the 47 percent of CX practitioners that have launched AI-based initiatives , are using the technology for the development of customer service chatbots and virtual assistants.
Chatbots and virtual assistants rose in popularity as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, when physical interactions with customers became temporarily impossible, due to health and safety risks. Since then, we have seen them become a mainstay of the CX world, with customers able to get instant resolutions on many simple queries that agents previously would have had to take time to solve. Recent weeks have also seen the launch of ChatGPT, which is likely to influence the quality of customer-facing bots in future.
By bringing data and automation into the mix, we have seen the capabilities of chatbots taken one step further. With the right data, chatbots are now able to offer personalized experience to customers, which is a goal of many CX practitioners. The report showed this, highlighting that 24 percent are using AI to personalize webpage layout while 18 percent are applying it to personalize marketing messages.
RELATED CONTENT: How to use ChatGPT to elevate your CX function
Internal culture must put customers first
When seeking to get the most out of AI it is important that businesses do not just deploy it in isolation but look to develop an internal culture around AI that puts customers first. According to 45 percent of respondents, this is one of the biggest challenges associated with the implementation of AI initiatives.
There are four key points to remember when building a culture around AI initiatives that puts customers first:
- Ensure that customer feedback is captured across the entire customer journey: Through use of customer journey mapping techniques, brands can ensure that each stage of the customer journey through an AI initiative delivers on what the customer wants and needs.
- Do not get distracted by competing priorities: When building a customer-first culture the focus must always be the customer but it is easy to be distracted by other opportunities like cost reductions or KPI increases.
- Invest in customer data solutions: Delivering solutions that are tailored to customer needs is impossible without first understanding what they want. Brands can uncover this by capturing customer data across the business and applying analytics to reveal its insights.
- Do not overwhelm leaders with excess data: Maintaining buy-in from key stakeholders is key, and teams will need to keep them engaged to do so. For this purpose, cherry-picked statistics that demonstrate the value of the AI are far more valuable than large data dumps, much of which may never be looked at.
RELATED CONTENT: How IKEA is using AI to remove friction from channel experiences
Self-service channels are here to stay
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, self-service became a critical channel for customers that were no longer able to interact physically with businesses. Self-service channels do not appear to be going anywhere, with 40 percent of practitioners keen to empower customers that wish to self-serve.
As well as offering customers control in period where they may have felt like they were losing it, the data from self-service initiatives can also help to inform personalization initiatives. Such initiatives do wonders for customer satisfaction, with Aberdeen Strategy and Research finding that companies leveraging AI, machine learning and automation with their self-service data boast 38 percent higher customer satisfaction rates than those that do not.
The data can be applied to identify opportunities to reduce customer friction by empowering businesses to deliver on their customers’ needs and enabling them to get the information and solutions they need without having to wait on a response from an agent.
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