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.

The self-service channel will experience more change in the next five years than it has in the past thirty.

And really…it’s not so much a change as it is a transformation.

The classic IVR—you know—the interactive voice response system that drives the self-service voice channel? In a few years…when you look back…it may seem as old as that rotary telephone…as antiquated as the phone booth.

So what will happen? What will this transformation look like?

I have a bold thought that’s gotten me into trouble on a few memorable occasions:

The best customer care is NO customer care.

I believe this deeply, but don’t get me wrong! I mean no ill will!

I don’t mean companies should prevent their customers from contacting them.

Rather, companies should strive to provide such high-quality service that customers never feel the need to reach out in the first place!

The Sami people, who live in the northern tips of Scandinavia and Russia, use at least 180 words related to snow and ice. And as many as 1,000 words for reindeer.  

What does this have to do with NLU?  Read on... 

Before we dive into these use cases, you might want to bookmark these recent posts that provide additional background info and perspective leading up to the NLU use case discussion: 

• This post about conversational interfaces discusses about good and bad use cases for conversational agents and speech IVRs.
• This NLU Cheat Sheet post is a great backgrounder to boost your general understanding of natural language.

Ready?  Let's dig into the best use cases for an NLU Router:

Conversational Interfaces

Conversational interfaces where called a break-through technology by MIT Technology Review.

Another article went on to say...

"We think the next era will belong to “the conversational layer” — both text- and voice-driven — that will use chat, messaging, or natural language interfaces to interact with people, brands, services, and bots." 

This conversation layer is powered by conversational or dialog agents. A dialog agent can -

• listen to what you say
• understand what you want and your intent, and
• take action
• respond to you