The Customer Experience in a Data-Driven Era

By Denis Lucey, Vice-President of Dell Technologies EMEA Commercial Support Services

Whether it is our growing connectivity, an increased focus on trust, or a desire for organisations to be more responsive, one thing has become clear: today’s customers have more influence and power than ever before.

At Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas last month, leading technologists and experts showcased how businesses and organisations in Ireland and around the globe can harness new technologies to keep pace with these demands.

We are all seeing the emergence of a ‘data-driven customer experience’ within the market. With 0.4trn gigabytes of data forecast in our world of 2020, every customer touchpoint is expected to be transformed through technology.

But how can businesses respond to the changes that lie ahead? To help organisations keep pace, I’ve sought to highlight my top five trends for customer experience transformation.

1. AI & Machine Learning will place focus on time management

Over the last decade, managing the time of your customer has become critical. In the years ahead, business leaders will look to harness AI and machine learning to put in place a more predictive customer experience. By knowing what a customer needs and the time they need it, a product or service can be provided almost instantly.

2. AR & VR will spark CX creativity

Advancements in AR and VR will result in the greater adoption of these technologies by organisations looking to spark creativity within their customer experience. By embracing AR at scale, technical experts will be able to view problems with a device or product at a distance and give expert advice remotely. This creative approach not only reduces call-out time but also helps to minimise system downtime.

3. Chatbots will provide immersive experiences

2019 will also see the more focused and intelligent deployment of chatbots to empower a proactive customer experience. Businesses have begun to see their potential and are using chatbots to respond to customer queries. As we become more trusting of chatbots, CX teams will be empowered to proactively communicate with the end-user to improve their service.

4. 5G will accelerate the pace of CX innovation

With the first 5G devices due to hit the market this year, next-generation networks promise to completely change the data game in terms of speed and accessibility – connecting a greater range of devices and systems than ever before. This will create opportunities for all businesses to better understand their customer and foster innovations in CX that respond to their daily needs.

5. True human-machine partnerships will emerge

Finally, as technology helps to create new customer engagement channels and support existing ones, we’ll see the emergence of a true human-machine partnership that harnesses the passion and entrepreneurial mindset of team members with a machine’s ability to bring speed, automation, and efficiency to the customer experience. To support this partnership, self-regulation and ethical standards in machines are critical to ensure we align our work with better purpose, to serve and succeed.

As the era of the ‘data-driven customer experience’ unfolds, businesses in every sector of the Irish economy will need to harness the insights and opportunities from their growing bank of data to realise their digital transformation ambitions.