Technology and the Customer Experience

Technology and the customer experience is ever expanding and 2018 is being called the transition year.

“2018 looks to be a year of change for technology, and customer service will need to evolve with the advancements it brings. 86% of customers will pay more for a better customer experience, so there’s no question about the benefits of using the smart technology that 2018 will offer you.” ~ Roxanne Abercrombie

That is an amazing prediction as we have made amazing discoveries over the past 10-years. We discovered that technology alone is cold — and since about 2008, we tech-driven marketers have been wrapping our heads around how we can bridge the gap between human and computer interaction.

Technology and Artificial intelligence — in its many forms — has in itself, opened up many doors of opportunity.

Within the expanded ability to develop and implement seamless technology is moving faster than anyone can keep up with and the biggest benefactor (and also the biggest need) is customer service. I am surely not saying that customer service will not still be “human”, it is just that the interface will get smoother in all capacities.

The Ubiquitous Use Of Technology

Did you know that 88% of website visitors are unlikely to return if they have a bad experience? These things get updated all the time, and candidly, I didn’t know that it was being measured at 88%. My point is that stats like these are cold, and they only tell half the picture. The other half is about the engagement… invisible engagement.

But, how do you get that invisible engagement?

That is the challenge. We don’t think about the interface with humans, but we still think about every encounter with the A.I. we engage with. Is it getting better? Of course, it is and at a startlingly fast pace. (Are you interested in Artificial Intelligence?)

So, bottom line, if you want repeat traffic and return customers, you need to optimize your website for customer service — and today’s A.I. technology can help.

Some of the Technology to Engage and Optimize

Tools are available to help mitigate the “immediate engagement needs” of today’s visitor to your main online hub — your website.

Many third-party systems offer engagement options and, for the most part, can all be fine-tuned to fit your typical visitor’s profile. Options include; Time to engage with a pop-up message; overlay, engagements; exit engagements; and much more.

One that I like is Sumo® for site engagement layers/popups. Right out of the box, it is pretty powerful. I also like Olark® for a professional chat.

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