This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
Genesys.com's chief marketing officer, Merijn te Booij, emphasizes that AI is the biggest hype in his career, and for good reason. It has the potential to revolutionize customer experience, which is now the key differentiator in the market.
With the global digital transformation expected to reach $1.2 trillion next year and $6 trillion over the next four years, companies are investing heavily in technologies that can deliver exceptional customer experience. However, the emerging Gen Z employee and customer base is changing engagement models, using more channels and self-service options.
According to a global survey, 97% of customers are multi-channel users, and each customer uses an average of 5.6 channels. By 2020, most people who call in to a contact centre will have already been on one of the organisation's other channels. This shift requires companies to rethink their customer engagement strategies.
Research has found that 51% of people have switched brands due to poor customer service in the last year. AI presents a solution to run customer engagement more efficiently, faster, and more cost-effectively. A global survey found that 90% of companies are deploying AI across some aspect of their customer journey, gaining massive shifts in productivity and valuable insights to build deeper relationships with customers.
However, many people think AI is about a bot that will solve everything, but it won't. To deliver an exceptional customer experience, the strengths of AI are best blended with the empathy and problem-solving skills of humans. This is known as 'blended AI' – AI with a human touch.
Companies can drive exponential customer experience value by combining predictive omni-channel routing, predictive digital engagement, workforce engagement, and virtual assistants like 'Kate', who can seamlessly blend AI-driven self-service capabilities and real-life employees.
Merijn te Booij was a keynote speaker at the Genesys Blended AI Summit South Africa 2019, held at the Maslow Hotel Johannesburg on 2 July 2019.
