Digital Engagement Blog

The pace of change, and particularly AI adoption, is skyrocketing - moving at a magnitude that enterprises are challenged to meet. Today’s most active digital consumers and largest segment of the workforce, Millennials and iGen, are challenging that rate of change based on their technology adoption, behaviors and preferences. The Blockbuster Video bankruptcy remains a key example of why enterprises must adapt to consumer expectations, and it’s more evident and validated 5 years after their closure. Three critical expectations that impacted the Blockbuster Video failure also influence today’s adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). In this intelligence economy, meeting consumer and employee expectations can mean the success or failure of the business.

On an otherwise normal Friday, one thing happened that shifted the world as we know it.

Though we all knew this day was special, it passed more or less without fanfare. But, looking back, it was the catalyst for how today’s leaders engage with their customers. It changed us all.

It has shaped every day since, and its significance will be felt for decades to come.

On June 29, 2007, the Spice Girls announced their reunion tour.

More importantly? The first iPhone went on sale.

On June 29, 2007, technology started our digital transformation. In time, it made us all feel smarter…act faster…and become FAR less patient than at any time in history.

It opened up a world where continually increasing customer expectations would forever challenge companies to keep up:

• Where technology would expand at a pace few could fathom.
• Where old approaches struggled to address new challenges.
• And where new leaders would rise, replacing the stalwarts who couldn’t…or wouldn’t…adapt.

Which brings us to today.

Picture this.

You want to go somewhere.

• Your office.
• A restaurant to meet some friends.
• Aunt Alice’s house for pick any holiday.

So, what do you do?

• You jump in your car.
• You say where you want to go.
• You arrive safely, on-time.

This is the promise of self-driving cars.

And, it’s about to happen...at least that’s what we’ve been led to believe.

But is it?

So in today’s digital world, which is your customers’ preferred way to interact with your company?
Is it…

• A mobile app?
• Web self-service?
• Social media?
• Email?

Give up?

It’s none of the above.

All generations of consumers prefer interacting with brands via the phone or in-person in a store over any other channel.

Surprised?

We were, too.  But there's a lot more to the story. 

We live in the future.

What seemed like science fiction just a few years ago? 

It’s coming.

It’s happening.

It’s REAL.

The thing is, your customers already have the future right in their pockets. You do too. We all do.

Heck…you might even be reading this blog post on it.

It’s on your mobile device. In it, really…and also across the connected universe of devices and networks and servers everywhere.

Though you (and all your customers) may think it is, the device in your pocket is no longer your phone. It is a whole lot more. Especially as both Apple and Google have announced extended use of messaging tools on the device, the device formerly known as your phone is now your virtual assistant.

Why?

A recent report from BI Intelligence suggests that significant savings can be achieved in customer service when Chatbots (and other tech) are deployed.

“Chatbots also have the potential to help businesses significantly cut labor costs. While complete automation of the customer service workforce is not feasible, automating customer management and sales positions in the US where possible through Chatbots and other automation technologies would result in considerable savings.”  (The Chatbot Explainer, BI Intelligence, July 2016)

In this post we're going to take a closer look at this POV and see if we can peel back a layer or two of that onion.

It looks like “everyone” is getting on the Chatbot boat.  They are hyped and hot and… I’ve gotta have one.  Or maybe not.

Motivations to get on the Chatbot boat vary.  Some will use this technology to automate simple tasks not critical to the business. These simple bots might have a WOW factor but don’t provide much business value.  For example, here is a list of 51 corporate chatbots across industries.

But others, like many readers of this blog, might have higher standards stemming from the demands of running large scale contact centers and customer engagement programs.

So is it time for you to invest in Chatbots?

Here are four recommended Chatbot investment criteria to consider before you jump on the Chatbot boat:

What are your communication options when you need to engage mobile prospects and customers?  Given that a good old fashioned phone call doesn't even crack the top five most used apps on a smartphone, it's a safe bet to consider that your best engagement options are going to involve tapping instead of talking.  

In this blog post we compare three options:  Texting (SMS), Mobile Messaging and Online Chat. While these terms often get used interchangeably, they are in fact three very different options, each with their own characteristics to consider. 

 “We need to be where our customers are.”

We hear this statement frequently as we talk to digital and customer care execs.  Execs want to be close to customers and at the same digital watering hole so they have a fighting chance to engage them.  Let's take a look a some recent market data to see if we can figure out "where customers are."

As the customer service function shifts into the digital age, we often take a step back to ask where servicing is headed.  Not only is it fascinating to watch and be a part of, but it’s really interesting to observe the shift separately through the lens of the mobile-digital exec vs. the contact center ops exec.  We’ve found these two lenses give you a different view of the same challenge.

So how do we define digital customer servicing through the lens of the mobile-digital exec?