“
FINAL WORD
BY USING THIS DATA
TO IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE, COMPANIES CAN
CREATE A VIRTUOUS CIRCLE OF
SATISFIED CUSTOMERS WHO KEEP
COMING BACK.
real-time data analytics and automation
capabilities, digital assistants have the ability
to integrate intelligence across multiple
digital channels to engage customers
in natural conversations using voice or
text. These platforms leverage Machine
Learning and Natural Language Processing
to understand context, derive intent, and
identify and learn user behaviours and
patterns to automate routine tasks.
Most new-age digital assistants also
have a web responsive app feature. After
beginning with a series of general questions,
the platform can sense if the customer
is likely to buy something. If the system
feels a purchase is imminent, the web
responsive app feature allows the digital
assistant to seamlessly transition from a
natural language discussion into an app-like
experience enabling structured data entry
including instant validation and rich media.
So, what will the integration of this new
technology mean for customers? Most
importantly, it means faster service that is more
accurate and a better customer experience. If
a question about a product or service arises,
an agent who possesses the entire company’s
collective experience and a huge wealth of
knowledge will further assist you.
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INTELLIGENTCIO
Real-life business examples
Mutua Madrid Open became the first ATP
World Tour Masters 1000 and Premier WTA
tournament to incorporate an AI-equipped
chatbot to improve communication with
tennis fans. The digital assistant, named
‘MatchBot’, uses AI to maintain natural
conversations that provides fans with
information on the event, players, and
results, as well as details on hospitality
services, discounts on merchandise, ticket
sales, access and parking.
Craig Nel, Mobile & Cognitive Experience
(MCX) Leader at Oracle Middle East, Africa
and Turkey
The University of Adelaide created a chatbot
to assist students during the university
application process. On the first day the
digital assistant was live, prospective
students conducted an estimated 2,100
unique conversations with it, which
led to a 40% reduction in calls to the
University’s customer service line – and more
impressively, a 47% drop in calls during the
critical first three hours. In turn, this reduced
the wait time for queries made via telephone
– from an average of 40 minutes down to
about 90 seconds, and 60% of student users
rated their experience as “awesome”.
Businesses considering leveraging digital
assistant services must understand that
the benefit goes far beyond an app; the
information generated throughout the
entire process provides critical insights into
customer behaviours and preferences. Data
insights derived from the service can assist
the business to enhance the customer
experience, refining products and services,
to even personalising future interactions.
Critically, new-age digital assistant platforms
can arm the team with a comprehensive
report from multiple applications such as HR,
ERP, CRM and CX.
Ultimately, there needs to be some
collaboration between the assistant and a
live person. If there is an issue that needs
to be escalated quickly – such as a life-
threatening one – the digital assistant
should be able to detect this and hand it
off directly to a real person on the other
end. Any delay in this transfer will cause
unnecessary frustration, and possible anger,
damaging the user experience. It is also
quite reassuring for users to know that
they can chat with a real person in certain
scenarios, where a digital assistant should
not be given responsibility for handling
critical processes or interactions.
Digital assistants will not eliminate the need
for live customer service agents, however
with the ability to process information in
greater quantity and at greater speeds than
a live person, they are enhancing customers’
buying experiences while providing critical
customer behaviour data to companies. By
using this data to improve the customer
experience, companies can create a virtuous
circle of satisfied customers who keep
coming back. And isn’t that what every
business wants? n
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