Let’s be frank, every company, regardless of sector or industry, needs to prioritize its customer experience (CX). You could be a telco, a pharmaceutical or an online business - as long as you have a customer, there is no substitute for a good CX strategy. The equation is pretty simple: good CX = happy customers.
And the key to a good CX strategy is “investment”. Not in new marketing trends but in good technology that facilitates real interactions between our customers and brands. So, what is holding many markets back? Fear!
You see; it is in human nature to fear the unknown and to tread slowly into uncharted waters. Where AI is involved, the fear of unemployment also seems to linger. Especially in emerging markets. There are advanced AI systems that canvas CX portfolios in many developed markets. We could even find it somewhat unfamiliar to go on a website of any company in the US and not encounter a chatbot ready to handle all our FAQs. In fact, I dare say, we would even border on irritation. But in many developing markets, the CX forefront falls squarely on human agents, who are not ever present to cater to customer needs or offer immediate solutions.
In reality, automation will cut jobs, and it already has, in many parts of the world. But it will also create thousands (if not millions) of new jobs, and similarly, already has in many parts of the world. Look at it this way, in most emerging markets, the contact center system is still in place. It has been and continues to be a source of frustration for countless customers. They have to queue for a chance to interact with an agent for an answer to a question someone has probably already asked. And in all this, the bill is left with the telco, or the bank or any large enterprise, that is paying the human agent per minute for every call. This model is no longer efficient.
But with an AI system in place, this agent can be hired on a comfortable salary, not as an independent contractor but now as an employee. Trained to support the needs of the AI-chatbot and AI-voicebot, for those queries above normal FAQs, while monitoring the AI system under a supervision mandate and potentially intervening in real time - seamlessly, almost like a divine intervention.
With the help of AI bots, customers can get the help they need at any point during the day, in any language, and still have the most authentic and human experience with your brand. Not only will we be saving time and money but also repurposing resources. The human agent can now focus on optimizing the customer journey. This is called the Human/AI Blend.
And it does not solely apply to Fortune500 companies or large enterprises. We are talking about that coffee shop around the corner that can now get a bot to facilitate its after sales experience, create a customer portfolio, and provide support. You don’t have to be a big company to use technology to your advantage. Technology comes in different sizes and different capabilities at different prices dependent on the modules and features encompassed.
We are talking about that street vendor in Rwanda or Ghana, who walks about with his umbrella trolley selling Telco TopUp or SIM cards but finds himself grounded because of the pandemic. We are talking about him automating his entire store, not the Telco doing it for him. It’s about him handling the process himself. This vendor will get his own online shop, cheaply but efficiently, working from the comfort of his home yet still selling his TopUp and SIM cards. At this point, his only objective or focus is now ensuring his visibility online.
But it wouldn’t end there. This vendor can now get a bot or an AI system, not called Alexa or Siri, but Ngoro or Nshuti configured in his own language, not just English, thus taking his CX a step further and making his brand a lot more relatable.
Everything is about the customer journey, and it matters how you will humanize this experience. CX is the new battleground, and without a doubt, all markets, from emerging to advanced are going to have to join in the fight and adapt fast. Even the Western world is still adapting. We have seen emerging markets toy with Western technology before and implement it their own way.
From those small things to the big things, we are converting lives and converting jobs. We are putting the customer first, and ultimately, we are humanizing technology, because that is where CX actually starts.
